Charmed Heritage: 113 The Power of Influence
by StoryGirl83
Summary: Tyler, the firestarter, comes to the manor for help when three of his children vanish. Magical children keep disappearing all over the planet and the boys realize this is the event the underworld was anticipating. An old friend contacts the family.
1. Tyler's Girls

The Power of Influence

Friday April 9, 2027

Prologue - Tyler's Girls

The casual observer would have at first seen a proud father watching his two preteen daughters. That would have last about until they saw Piper Westcott look across the room and a doll start floating toward her. Her younger sister, Leah, was oblivious as she stacked blocks onto her fortress.

Tyler Westcott, the father of the two girls looked up from where he was sitting on the floor and saw the doll floating toward them. He smiled slightly and shook his head. "I'm not sure your mom is ready to see that, Sweetie."

Piper concentrated on the doll and it slipped quickly through the air and into her arms. "You said to practice," she protested looking defiantly at her father.

Tyler nodded in agreement. "I did and you should. When I was a little older than you I came into my powers and I couldn't learn to control them. At least yours is safer."

As if in response to her father's comment about his less than safe ability, Leah put her hands to her temples and concentrated on one of the blocks. It burst into flames.

Tyler grabbed a nearby jacket and quickly smothered the fire. "Remember what I said, Leah."

"Only practice on stuff no one wants cause then it's gone," she recited before looking at the jacket covering her block. "Is my block gone?"

"Tyler, have you seen Matthew?" Miranda Westcott's voice sounded from outside the room.

Getting up Tyler admonished his oldest daughter, "Piper, make sure Leah doesn't start any fires while I am gone."

"Okay, Dad," Piper agreed readily.

* * *

Tyler entered the hallway where his wife stood with their youngest daughter, Halli. "What is this about Matthew?"

"He was on the computer showing Halli and me a game he got from Jonathan," Miranda began. "The timer for the oven rang, so Halli and I went to the kitchen and got dinner out of the oven. When we returned to get Matthew to the table he wasn't there."

Tyler looked down at Halli. "Did Matthew tell you he was going somewhere?"

"No, Daddy," Halli informed his with a shake of her blonde head.

Without another word Tyler turned around and walked back into the room only to find it empty. The jacket had been removed from the pile of blocks and Piper's doll was on the floor. Tyler's eyes widened as he sucked in a breath. As he looked around the room panic began to set in. He turned around once more and exited the room, faster this time.

As soon as he reached his wife and daughter he scooped Halli up into his arms and addressed his wife. "Piper and Leah aren't in there. When you called me, they were on the floor playing with blocks. Now, they're gone."

"Gone?" Miranda asked startled. "How can three children just vanish like that?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "but we aren't letting Halli out of our sight."

* * *

For anyone who hasn't recently read "The Magic Is Back", there is a phone call on the answering machine from Tyler about setting his wife's hair on fire. And if you recall in the last episode, Seth and Melinda both brought information about a demon that was going to show up to Wyatt and Chris. And in the last chapter a little girl disappeared.

Faced with something he doesn't know how to handle, Tyler is going to seek help from the people who helped him before, but things aren't going to go quite a smoothly as he hopes.

PS - In reading some info about the upcoming Charmed comics it was mentioned in one place that Tyler is the focus of one of the Charmed novels, _The Brewing Storm_, and in that novel he got the last name Michaels. I did not know that when I wrote this story and there was no last name mentioned in the episode he was in, therefore the last name I chose for him, Westcott, will be the one I use. For anyone who read that book . . . want to tell me if it's any good. I haven't read it yet, but now that I know it's about Tyler I want to quite badly. I love that kid.


	2. In Time of Need

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Thank you.

TaintedDarkInuSheeko - You aren't here yet, but you will. Your comment about Seth's yet to be born half sibling made me smile. I'm half tempted to tell you if you are right or wrong on that, because the baby definitely has a gender and usually has a name. Occationally the name changes, but usually the name stays, so I think that it will be the eventual name. Yes, that story is almost done at that point, but this story is to some effect a part two. They are distinctly different and yet the original problem from the other will be dealt with in this episode.

* * *

Chapter One - In Time of Need

Piper Halliwell was in the kitchen working on dinner when a knock on the front door caught her attention. She put down the knife she was holding and walked to the front door. Before she could get there, there was a second knock. She pulled opened the door and looked at the three people on her front porch. "Tyler?"

Tyler nodded as he shifted Halli in his arms. "May we come in, please?"

"It's been a long time," Piper commented as she stepped out of the way to let him in. "What brings you here?"

Tyler hugged his daughter to him as he headed into the manor with Miranda close behind him. Once the door was closed he turned around and faced her. "This is my wife, Miranda. Miranda, this is Piper Halliwell. I told you about her."

"Piper?" Halli piped up. "I have a sister named Piper."

Piper looked at her surprised. "Really?"

Halli nodded. "Yep. And a sister named Leah. And we have a brother named Matthew. I'm Halli."

"You certainly are the chatty one, aren't you?" Piper commented as she looked at Tyler. "Did you . . ?"

"Our oldest daughter is named after you," Tyler informed her.

"If I remember correctly," Miranda commented blandly, "our son was named after your youngest sister, our middle daughter was named after your husband, and Halli was named after your family in general, but sort of to honor your other sister."

Piper blinked and stared at her. Then, she looked at Tyler. "You named all your children after my family?"

Tyler shrugged. "I wouldn't be here if not for you and your family. And now, I need your help, again."

"What happened?"

"My kids are missing?"

Piper frowned at him. "Have you called the police?"

"I was out of the room for less than half a minute and in that time someone took both of my older daughters without making a sound," Tyler informed her. "The police can't help me. I need your help. Please. I didn't know where to find your sisters, but I figured someone would be here."

Piper nodded. "All right. I will find someone who can help."

"Your sisters," Tyler insisted.

"That might be difficult," Piper hedged.

"But not impossible." He looked at her imploringly. "I trust you. My kids need your help, Piper."

"Why don't you three take a seat on the couch in there," she suggested waving her hand at the next room. "I'll make some phone calls and see if I can at least find Paige."

"And Phoebe?"

Piper bit down on her lip. "That's the difficult part." Without explaining she walked over to the phone and started dialing.

Feeling dismissed, Tyler took his family to the couch and sat down, fright plain on his face.

The phone stopped ringing on the other end and Piper listened impatiently as the answering machine picked up. "Hi, Paige. This is Piper. I need you to head over here as soon as you get this message. Tyler is here and he's a bit panicked. His kids are missing and he thinks it's . . . well, you know what he thinks. From what he said, I'm inclined to agree with him."

She hung up the phone and dialed a second number. After several seconds the phone was picked up. "Hi. Mom or Dad?" Wyatt asked.

"You really have to quit relying on that photo ID system of yours," Piper scolded.

"And you really ought to get one," Wyatt returned. "What's up, Mom?"

"One our old innocents has just shown up asking for help. I need you and your brother to get here as soon as you can."

"Chris isn't here," Wyatt informed her. "I thought you made the schedules at The Manor."

"Oh," Piper said remembering. "I had forgotten. I'll call him there than. Just get her as soon as you can."

"Will do, Mom."

Piper hung up without waiting for a longer conversation and dialed in a third number. This time it was picked up after only one ring.

"The Manor, how may I help you?" the cheery voice of Emily Colson greeted over the phone.

"Emily, this is Piper," Piper said by way of greeting. "I need to talk to Chris."

"The kitchen is kind of busy right now," Emily informed her. "I wouldn't even be free, except I just delivered the food to my last table. The first one will be wanting me for drink refills in a few seconds, I think. Can I pass on a message?"

Piper groaned. "I need to speak to Chris."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Halliwell," Emily replied apologetically, "but there is no way he can get away from the kitchen for a few minutes at least. I promise to deliver any message you have at once, though, word for word."

Piper exhaled deeply. "I was informed that you know about . . . my other job. That is correct, right?"

There was silence for a few seconds and then, "Well, sort of. You didn't really come up much in the conversation, but assuming it's more or less the same as the one your sons do, then I guess I do. I did gather that you can't do the whole bright light moving thing, though."

"Orbing," Piper said, dripping with sarcasm.

"You think I can say that with a dining room full of people?" Emily asked softly. "What if one of them knew what that meant?"

"Then, I'm sure 'bright light moving thing' will tip them off just as fast," Piper retorted. "Didn't you have a table to get to?"

"I do," Emily agreed. "They are looking at me, kind of annoyed right now, too. I figure that this message is important, so why don't you tell me what to tell Chris?"

Piper sighed. "Fine. Tell Chris that he is going to orb himself back to the manor as soon as absolutely possible and that I am calling in Callie to cook for him."

"Do I tell him why?" Emily asked, curious.

"An innocent needs help," Piper informed him. "That's all he'll need to know before he gets here. I'll explain the rest when he gets here."

"All right," Emily agreed. "I don't think I'm going to get much of a tip on that table, but they'll just have to wait."

"Chris can't really leave until Callie gets there, unless you have someone else in mind who can mind the kitchen while it's busy, so go to your table on the way to the kitchen, grab their glasses, and tell them your boss called. And then go straight to the kitchen and tell Chris what I said."

"Will do," Emily agreed. "I hope you save them, Mrs. Halliwell."

"Your guests?"

"Your innocents."

* * *

Tyler knows who to go to when he has trouble he doesn't understand. And when his kids are missing he knows he can't just mess around. He doesn't know enough about magic to hope he gets it right, not right now.

Like most of the rest of the family, Piper is reluctant to trust Emily with more than she has to, but since Emily does know what's going on, she is her best option.

Yes, I did name all of Tyler's kids after Halliwells (and Leo). Miranda chose their middle names.


	3. When Old Friends Come Calling

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Thank you. I have plans for Emily, but you can't just bring anyone into a roll (unless they start out that way they was Kali is their friend and has been for years). Whether good or bad, the character needs to get into that position naturally and I hope I do that with her and I hope I do that with Addison, a character you will be meeting in the next episode.

soraya - I hoped that teaser would get people curious. There are some innocents that just passed on through my memory and I only thought of when I was on their episode. And there are some like Tyler, that I just wished I could see more of. I love bringing in characters from Charmed, so their will be more of them, but I'm glad to have Tyler in this story along with two others of my favorite innocents . . . though one only makes a single chapter cameo.

TaintedDarkInuSheeko - You've got that right. A power of three spell simply wouldn't work right now, which is causing me a great deal of trouble in an upcoming episode, so much so that I had to move that episode to a later spot, just so I had enough witch power to get around that fact.

Those of you who've read my IF rewrite might recognize some of this chapter from one of the flashbacks. And at the end of the chapter there is a surprise, a big surprise for Piper. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Two - When Old Friends Come Calling

After calling Callie and convincing her to relieve Chris at the Manor, Piper returned to the sitting room, where Tyler and his family where. "I've got help coming, so why don't you three come with me and I'll get you something to drink in the kitchen."

Tyler stood, without letting go of Halli.

Piper raised an eyebrow at this. "Aren't your arms going to get tired?"

"Miranda and Halli were in the room with Matthew," Tyler informed her as he followed behind her. "They left him to get the food out of the oven and when they returned he was gone. Then, she called me to see if I had seen him. I had been in the room with our two older daughters, Piper and Leah. As soon as I heard what she said I went back into their room to check on them. They were gone." He stopped walking as they reached the kitchen. "I hadn't been gone for even a minute. I am not letting Halli out of my sight."

Piper sighed. She could understand. "Fair enough."

The sound of orbing filled the room and both Piper and Tyler turned to watch Wyatt orb in. Miranda ignored it and looked out the window.

Wyatt looked around and say his mom looking at him amused. He took note of Tyler standing nearby with Halli hugging her arms around his neck. He saw Miranda looked over from the window as if his presence had just registered with her.

Not knowing who any of these people were, Wyatt addressed his first question to his mom. "Where's Chris?"

"He was busy, so I left a message with Emily," Piper told him. "She said she'll make sure he gets here as soon as possible. I think she means to invade my kitchen."

Wyatt chuckled. "Emily isn't ready to cook for you. Grant you, she is learning, but she only knows how to make about three items off the menu so far."

"I know," Piper admitted. "I called Callie. She agreed to come in. I'm surprised she hasn't asked for an explanation yet."

Miranda walked over to stand behind her husband. She hugged his torso from behind. "Is this one of your sons, Piper?"

Piper nodded as she turned around. "This is my older son, Wyatt. Wyatt, this is Tyler Westcott, his wife, Miranda, and their youngest daughter, Halli."

"Hi."

Tyler turned his head to look at Piper. "I think I'd rather you and your sisters help us."

"Unfortunately Phoebe is unavailable," Piper informed him trying not to count the weeks since she'd last seen her baby sister. "I tried calling Paige, but couldn't get through. I'll try again later. For now, Wyatt and I are here and we will do what we can to help."

Tyler sighed. "Okay. As I already told you, Miranda went to get our son, Matthew, for dinner, and couldn't find him, so she called me. I left our older girls alone in their room and when I returned they were gone. I wasn't gone that long, less than a minute. I didn't know where else to turn. I don't know anyone else in the magical community, but I'm scared. I want my kids back."

The phone ringing in the hall reached their ears and Piper turned to Wyatt. "I was informed a while back that you actually know your way around a kitchen, so why don't you find something for them to eat while I go get that and then see if you can find any info that might be helpful. I doubt someone is calling to talk to you."

Wyatt chuckled. "Likely not."

Piper left the kitchen and headed into the hall. She grabbed up the phone and put it up to her ear. "Halliwell Manor. Piper here."

"Piper, it's Darryl," said the long unheard voice on the other end. "I need your help."

* * *

I had issues with most of the major deaths or disapearances on Charmed. Andy, Prue, Cole, Chris, Darryl . . . and others. There are so many things I wanted to change or "right". I figured out how I was dealing with the dead ones without too much trouble, but then there was Darryl. I hope you like how I brought him back into their lives.


	4. Magical Assistance

First a thank you to my reviewers:

soraya - I wanted to find a way to include him and suddenly it all just fit. I hope that I find more ways to include him in stories.

lizardmomma - Me too. Thanks.

This chapter is more or less Darryl's. Don't worry, he'll be in more of the story. To find out what has Darryl calling for help, keep reading. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Three - Magical Assistance

For several seconds Piper just stared at the phone stunned. Though they had last seen Darryl Morris on more or less friendly terms he hadn't called them in over two decades. She certainly hadn't expected to hear from him ever, again. "Darryl?"

"I'm sorry I haven't called," Darryl informed her, trying to forestall any questions on that, "but I really need your help. We've gotten over thirty reports of missing children in the last twenty-four hours."

Piper glanced in the direction of her kitchen. Could Darryl's problem possibly be connected with Tyler's?

"Not one of those reports was from the parents and from the parents I have actually talked to I am getting the distinct impression that they think the Chicago Police Department will do them no good."

"That's all horrible," Piper conceded, "but, Darryl, that doesn't mean it's magical and I'm not sure I'd be any use in finding a human kidnapper."

"It's magical," Darryl argued. "At least one of these parents had your power, Piper. I haven't asked for your help often, but I need you with this. Can't you get Paige to orb you and Phoebe here and check it out."

"I can't get Phoebe anywhere," Piper said with a catch in her voice.

Darryl must have heard it, because he immediately picked up on it. "Did something happen to Phoebe? Is she all right?"

"I don't know," Piper admitted. "We haven't seen her in almost two months, not since just before Pr . . . Oh!" Piper gasped as she realized something. "Darryl, I just realized that I have some news you'll want to hear."

"Do you know where to find these kids?"

"No, but I know who I'm going to try and send over to help you," Piper decided.

"I need someone magical for this, Piper," Darryl insisted. "This is magical. A demon is behind this, or maybe several demons. You can tell me your news later."

"It's about Andy."

There was complete silence on the other end for almost half a minute. Finally, Darryl audibly gulped. "Andy has been dead for nearly three decades, Piper."

"I know that," Piper admitted. "But my husband has been dead since 1942 if you recall."

"Leo's a whitelighter," Darryl protested. "Or was? Or is he again?"

"He's just a normal human," Piper replied to put off any other questions on that. "I'll let Andy get you all caught up on."

"You're saying Andy is a whitelighter?"

"Was," came Piper's reply. "He's also from an alternate reality, but that reality broke off of ours after he died, so everything before his death is just the same as what you remember."

"Alternate what?" Darryl asked confused.

"Reality," Piper repeated. "Like I said, I'll let him fill you in."

"Much as I would love to see Andy again," Darryl protested, "he's still not going to be able to help with something magical."

"You'd be surprised what three decades as a whitelighter can teach someone about magic," Piper retorted. The words replied in her mind as a little voice remaindered her that Leo had six decades as a whitelighter before he gave up his wings for her and their family. "Besides, he'll bring his wife and she most assuredly has practical experience with magic."

"His wife?" Darryl queried. "Who's his wife?"

"Prue."

* * *

This problem is _not_ local. It seemed to me that most of what the girls fought against was local . . . or in the underworld. This problem is all over.

And poor Darryl. He contacts the girls after all this time, because he's already got magical problems and he gets a shock when he learns that he long dead partner is alive . . . and it almost doesn't faze him, so preoccupied is he with the missing kids. First, Tyler, now Darryl. What familiar face will be coming for help in the next chapter?


	5. Seth's Report

First a thank you to my reviewers:

soraya - You will certainly get that. It won't be for several more chapters though.

Two more people come with reports of this, but this time they might actually have useful information.

* * *

Chapter Four - Seth's Report

The conversation with Darryl after all these years still had Piper stunned as she headed back to the kitchen.

The first words out of Wyatt's mouth when he saw her were, "It's been over a week."

"What?" Piper stared at him confused. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Seth and Melinda's demon," Wyatt reminded her.

Miranda gulped at the word.

"They both agreed that it would be at least a week and it's been over a week," Wyatt continued. "We still have nothing useful on that demon, but the timing of this is right. What if this has something to do with that?"

"That makes no sense," Piper protested.

"Actually," Seth Silberman said from the doorway behind her, "it makes perfect sense." His tongue flicked out drawing a gasp from Miranda.

All eyes turned to him. Tyler's free hand went to his temple.

"Stand down, Tyler," Piper ordered. "This is Seth. He's Wyatt's best friend, one of the good guys."

"But his tongue," Tyler protested.

Seth shrugged. "I don't judge you for whatever you are," Seth retorted, "so I'd appreciate the same." He pointed a hand in the direction of the front door. "I tried the front, but no one was there and I heard voices."

"What brings you here?" Piper asked.

"It's happening," he announced.

Knowing what Seth had been looking for the last week and a half, Piper instantly gave him her full attention. "Did you hear something?"

"Did I hear something?" Seth asked, indignant. "The entire underworld is a buzz. It's impossible not to hear something."

Piper looked back at Tyler and Miranda. "Is this something about missing children?"

Seth nodded. "Not just any children. Magical children. Seems that no one wanted to talk about this much beforehand just in case it somehow jinxed him. Apparently," Seth grinned at Wyatt, "the last time he showed up he had some major problems with some of your ancestors. I couldn't get many details on that, but I found it interesting."

"Do you have anything more specific than that?" Piper asked.

Seth sighed. "Not a whole lot. I did get a date though."

Piper looked at him, questioningly. "A date? We're trying to stop a demon and you got a date."

Seth snorted. "Not that kind of date. The date is April 11, 1627. I don't think I was around then."

"And what does that mean?" Piper asked him, annoyed.

"It's the first known attack from this demon," Seth informed her. "Your daughter said she heard something about him only being around for a few centuries. Well, that fits. Somehow or another, that's most likely when this demon first hit the scene, possibly that's when a demonic child grew into adulthood." He was silent for a few seconds and then added, "Oh, and I also learned that he _chooses_ to only attack once a century, because he likes to . . . are these parents?"

Piper nodded.

He sighed as he walked up to her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "He likes to torture his victims. I'm not sure what all that entails, but it does mean that while he's collecting them, he's unlikely to kill them, so their kids are probably alive, possibly even unharmed. If we don't stop him now, they won't stay that way long." He moved away and spoke in a normal volume. "Keeping that in mind, I also learned that while he only shows up once every hundred years, at least noticeably, he usually takes a few days to do so. From the looks of things, we are on day one, or at the beginning of day two as it sounds like kids might have started disappearing last night."

"There are more children missing?" Miranda asked, softly. "Tyler, my babies."

Tyler turned around to hug her to him. He shifted Halli about so that he could hold his wife.

In front of the doorway to the basement orbs flowed around and formed into Kevin Shepherd. The young elder took in those around him. His eyes stopped on Tyler with a small frown. He shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Kevin?" Piper looked at him surprised. "Are you okay?"

Kevin gave her a smile. "He's about my age, isn't he?"

Tyler looked at him confused. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Piper nodded. "Yeah, he's about your same age?"

Tyler looked at Kevin and threw Piper and confused look. "He's a teenager. He's about the same age as my son."

Piper shook her head. "We met Kevin only about a year after we met you."

Tyler groaned. "He came by those orbing powers 'honestly' didn't he? He died and earned his wings."

Kevin shook his head, trying not to grin. "I'm very much alive. I'm not a whitelighter exactly, either. And I certainly didn't become what I am by the normal means."

"And what are you?" Seth asked.

"An elder," Kevin replied.

Seth's eyes widened. His mouth opened to say something and snapped closed.

"And a witch," Kevin added. "Right now, though, I am acting as a liaison between the elders and the Charmed Ones."

"They actually sent you here?" Piper asked.

Kevin nodded. "This time, yes. I admit most aren't too happy with me for what I did in February, but they also agree that you are unlikely to listen to most of them."

"So what do the elders want from the Charmed Ones?" Piper asked. "And how do they expect the _Charmed Ones_ to do anything when Phoebe is missing."

Kevin shrugged. "I think it's more a plea to your family in general. Apparently no one else has ever come close to defeating this demon."

"So they know who he is."

Kevin shook his head. "None among the elders has ever seen him. And they know of no one who ever has."

"Is there anything they can tell us that would be useful?" Piper asked, annoyed.

"They think he used to be human."

* * *

As best I can guess Kevin is actually two or three years older than Tyler, but that's close enough, especially once you are past your teens.

Does anyone remember "Wrestling with Demons", not my favorite episode, but it sets a precedent that this idea the elders have is possible. Are they right? What do you think?

In the next chapter it's finally time to see Chris. And another glimpse at The Manor's only non-Halliwell chef, Callie Ranard. Don't worry (if anyone does), there will be more chefs working at The Manor in time. I have potentially three at the moment . . . though one I think is too young for the job quite yet.


	6. I Don't Want To Know

First a thank you to my reviewer:

lizardmomma - Thank you. I'm glad you think so.

The title of this chapter is influenced by Callie's attitude toward her boss' family's secrets. She simply doesn't want to know.

You finally get to see Chris in this story. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Five - I Don't Want To Know

Chris was busy filling out orders. It had been a crazy night so far and he got the idea it was just going to get worse. The sound of the door opening drew a groan from his lips.

Before he could turn to look a voice said, "Relax, Chris. I'm here to relieve you."

A smile lit Chris face as he turned to look at Callie Ranard. "Thanks, Callie. Sorry to leave you with all this, but I _do_ have to leave."

"Don't tell me," Callie requested as she approached the stove. "I honestly have no interest in what your family does outside of this restaurant. Do you have any orders needing made right now?"

Chris handed her a small stack of orders. "Just these. Do you want help?"

Callie took the papers from him. "I'm here because you have to leave," she reminded him. "So get out of here. See to whatever you need to and don't call me in tomorrow. I have plans."

Chris nodded and ran over to his mom's office to grab his wallet and keys from the desk drawer and headed put, closing the door behind him. He was headed toward the back door when Emily's voice stopped him.

"Chris!"

Chris turned around and saw her headed toward him. He waited for her to reach him. "Is something wrong?"

"Be careful," she replied looking at him worried. "I know I don't know a lot about all this, but I know it's dangerous, so be careful."

Chris smiled and nodded. "Did Mom say anything else?"

She shook her head. "Not really. She said an innocent needs help. I'm not really sure what that means, because you failed to explain that term."

"Innocents are anyone needing our help and protection from the underworld," Chris informed her.

"Do you think this is about the . . . villain you were looking for last week?"

"Emily, your order is ready," Callie called out to her.

"I'll be careful," Chris promised her. "I have to go though."

Emily nodded. "Remember your mom said to orb," she threw at him before she hurried over to the stove.

Chris headed out the back door and ran for his car. He started to climb in when Emily's words registered. He sighed, wondering how he was going to explain why he was such a hurry to leave that he left behind his car. Even though he wasn't sure how another half hour or so was going to make a difference, he pushed shut his door, locked it back up, and orbed out.

* * *

Chris is going home now, but what's going to happen next?


	7. Waiting and Searching

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Thank you. I'm glad you think so.

soraya - Those details tend to bug me, so I try to keep track of them when working on my own stories.

TaintedDarkInuSheeko - On your review of chapter two. Yes, they will have their hands full, but as you have figure out by now, it's the same case, just a lot more of it. I look foward to seeing what you think as you play catch up.

Enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

Chapter Six - Waiting and Searching

Wyatt had looked over the Book of Shadows several times over the past week and a half, trying to find something on their demon. Even with the additional information he had gained from Tyler, Seth, Kevin, and even Darryl he still wasn't finding something that matched up. It appeared that there was nothing there, but something told him to keep looking, that something was in there.

"Daddy, I want down," Halli demanded.

Tyler hugged her tighter. "No, Halli."

Miranda shivered and hugged her arms around herself, she rocked back and forth mumbling, "My babies."

"I'm here, Mommy," Halli announced. "I'm here."

Miranda just rocked back and forth.

Seeing this Piper headed over to Tyler. "I'll take Halli to get a snack. You see to your wife."

Tyler let Piper take Halli out of his arms and watched her as she lead her to the kitchen. As they left the room he stood and walked over to Miranda. "We're going to get them back," he told her with more confidence than he felt. He hugged her close.

Tyler closed his eyes, trying to block out all the events of the last few hours. He just wanted everything to be all right, to have his kids back.

The sound of orbing brought his attention to the middle of the room. This time it was Chris who formed there. Chris walked over to the chair where his brother sat pouring over the Book. "So what's going on, Wy?"

Wyatt looked up and pointed in the direction of Tyler and Miranda. "Remember that answering machine message back in January from the guy who set his wife's hair on fire?"

Chris chuckled and nodded. "That him?"

Wyatt nodded. "The woman with him is his wife, Miranda. They have four children and three of them are missing. I think I heard mom say she was taking the youngest to the kitchen."

"Do we have any idea what we are looking for?"

"Very little," Wyatt admitted, "but the knowledge is growing, thankfully. We are one hundred percent sure that this has to do with the demon that Seth and Melinda were trying to find last week. And we've even had Kevin here with a request for help from the elders."

"They want our help?" Chris asked, astounded. "Don't they hate us?"

"I don't think it's quite that bad," Wyatt retorted. "Apparently, though, anything can be put aside for a common enemy."

"So this demon is a threat to the elders?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Not so far as anyone seems to know. It's a threat to the magical children of the world. And that's enough for the elders."

"Is that all you know?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Seth said he first showed up in 1627 and Kevin said they think he used to be human, so between the two, our demon was probably around the turn of the sixteenth century . . . which means finding any info about that is kind of unlikely, unless there's something in the book." Wyatt looked down at the Book, frustrated. "And if there's something here, I'm not finding it." He scowled. "Why can't I find something?"

"Maybe there's nothing to find," Chris suggested.

"There's something in here," Wyatt insisted.

Chris sighed. "Have we tried scrying for these kids?"

Wyatt shook his head. "I don't think so." Seeing Piper returning with Halli he directed his question at her. "Mom, did anyone try scrying for these kids?"

Piper shook her head. "It won't matter if they're in the underworld."

"And if they aren't?"

Piper looked over at Tyler trying to console his wife. Then, she looked down at the little girl whose hand she held. "I'll see what I can do." She smiled up at her younger son. "Did everything go okay at The Manor?"

Chris nodded. "It was busy, but everything was fine when I left. How can I help here? Honestly, I don't see much going on or much need for me to be here."

Piper picked up Halli and brought her over to Wyatt. She put her on his lap. When he looked up at her surprised, she informed him that, "Tyler's a little busy right now. I need to talk to your brother. Someone needs to keep Halli with them. We don't know how this demon is getting these children, but he's fast."

Wyatt nodded and moved over so he could seat Halli next to him. "Why don't you help me look for the bed guy that took your sisters and brother?"

Halli grinned up at him. "I can do that."

Piper ignored them and led Chris into the dining room. "We have to find this demon and fast, Chris. And once we find him, we don't know what it will take to defeat him. Tyler came to us for help and we are going to help him. Kevin came to us and told us that whitelighters have been freaking out, because they are losing their young charges. And they can't track them, which means these kids are either cloaked or in the underworld. Seth thinks the kids are kept alive while he's collecting them, because apparently he likes to torture them. We got a phone call from Darryl asking for our help, because he's feeling the effect of this where he is. Have you any idea what it means for Darryl to call us?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah, I get it, but what can I _do_?"

Piper started to say something, but stopped at the sound of the phone. "Get that. It might be Paige."

Chris sighed and nodded. "Okay. I want to help, Mom. I just don't know what to do. Let me try scrying for the kids. It couldn't hurt."

"We'll talk about it later," Piper assured him. "Get the phone."

* * *

Who do you think is on the other end of the phone?


	8. Getting Personal

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Leads will be coming.

TaintedDarkInuSheeko - That's okay. You aren't the only one that forgets that I brought Prue back. And she's not in San Francisco, so it's not like she's just going to pop in at random. I will tell you this. There is currently a problem with the power of three, so even if all four of them where together, no three of them could access it. That will be dealt with in time. Right now they have no idea that it's anything other than a lack of Phoebe. Yeah, to some extent that is where that part of this story came from. It's an interesting and somewhat frightening concept.

soraya - Hmm. That one is hard to answer. Not a coincedence exactly, but not exactly related to what you would think it is.

Now, on to who is on the other end of the phone. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Seven - Getting Personal

When Chris picked up the phone, he didn't expect the panicked voice on the other end.

"Oh, thank goodness," his cousin, Hope Halliwell, breathed. "I was beginning to think no one was home."

"Is something wrong, Hope?" Chris asked concerned.

"I can't find Ladybug or Cilly?" she informed him with a sob. "First, Mom and Dad don't come back, now my sisters are missing, too. Can you help me, Chris?"

"I'm coming right over," Chris informed her. "Can you hold on while I come over?"

Hope sniffed and nodded. "I'm scared."

Chris put down the phone, but left it off the hook and orbed out.

* * *

Chris reappeared in Hope's bedroom. The ten-year-old was huddled in a corner with the phone to her ear. As soon as she saw Chris she dropped it and ran to give him a hug. "I'm so scared. Once moment Cilly was there. I turned around to get something and heard her start to scream. When I turned to look she was gone as if she'd never been there. I went looking for Ladybug, but I couldn't find her. Will you help me look?"

Chris exhaled slowly, trying to come up with an answer. "We'll find her, okay. We'll find both of them, but I don't think . . . Hope, when Cilly disappeared, did you see anything? Anything strange?"

"She wasn't there," Hope insisted. "That's strange. She should have been there."

Chris nodded. "Yes, that's strange sweetie. Could she have teleported out?"

Hope shook her head. "No, there wasn't enough time. I've been around all of you long enough to know that. There wasn't enough time. She was just gone, as if she had suddenly turned invisible."

Chris frowned as he looked at her. "What did you say?"

"I said she was gone."

Chris shook his head. "No, the part about her turning invisible."

Hope shrugged. "That's faster than leaving, just not being able to be seen."

"Like this?" Chris asked as he closed his eyes and concentrated.

Hope gasped. "Chris? Where are you?"

Chris reappeared. "Would that timing work with what happened to Cilly?"

Hope nodded. "When did you learn to do that?"

"When magic came back," Chris informed her. "Listen, Hope, a lot of children have been disappearing, some of them as old as Ladybug and Cilly. I don't know why how, but we'll find them, but I need you to come with me okay?"

Hope nodded.

"And there wasn't anything more you can tell me?"

Hope started to shake her head. She stopped and frowned. She ran across the room and pulled open a drawer in her nightstand. She pulled out a slip of paper and ran over to him. "I think Cilly dropped this. She was working on homework."

Chris took the piece of paper and unfolded it. Hurried letters spelled out, "James Thom". After the last letter was what looked like the beginning of another, but he couldn't make it out. "I'm not sure if it's any help of not, but I will definitely show this to Mom and Wy. Are you ready to go?"

Hope nodded. "You're going to get my sister back, right?"

"I will do everything I can," he assured her.

Hope hugged her arms around him. "Okay, let's go find my sisters."

Chris reached down and hugged her shoulder to him. Clutching the paper with the other hand he orbed them away from there.

* * *

A little bit of a clue here and more to come in the next chapter, but is it enough?


	9. For Future Generations

First a thank you to my reviewers:

soraya - Thank you. I'm glad you liked the way I did that.

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko - I'm sorry to disappoint with who was on the other end. You'll hear from one of those soon.

lizardmomma - Thank you.

They finally find something in the book of Shadows, notes written about previous attacks of this demon.

* * *

Chapter Eight – For Future Generations

Chris and Hope reappeared in the middle of the sitting room. He let go of Hope and walked over to his brother. "Wy, Hope thinks this guy has Ladybug and Cilly."

Wy looked up with a groan. "I did not want to hear that."

"I know," Chris acknowledged. "Hope was there when Cilly vanished and she said it was too quick to be any form of teleportation. She also thinks Cilly might have dropped this paper." Chris held it out to him.

Wyatt reached over Halli and took the paper. He frowned as he looked at it. "It's just a name."

"What if that's our demon's name?"

"That's not a demon's name," Hope protested.

"Maybe, but it might have been at one point," Chris informed her. "The elders think this demon used to be human."

"We're listening to elders?" Hope asked, surprised.

Chris nodded. "When they are offering information about a demon, yes. We don't know how much time we have, but it's not a lot."

"Well, how would Cilly have gotten a name off of a demon?" Hope wanted to know.

"If this is the demon's name," Chris decided, "then we will asked her when we find her."

"James Thom," Wyatt mumbled.

"That's Thomas," Halli told him looking at the paper in his hand.

"What?" Wyatt looked at her surprised.

"Thomas," Halli repeated. "There's a boy in my class at school named Thomas and he sometimes shortens it to Tom. It looks like Thomas. Don't you think?"

Wyatt eyed it and sighed. "Yeah, probably. You didn't happen to see that name in the Book did you?"

Halli shook her head.

"Remember that this guy might be able to turn invisible," Chris commented, looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah, right," Wyatt mumbled as he started looking through the Book, again.

"Why is Hope here?" Piper asked as she entered the room.

"That phone call you asked me to get," Chris began, "that was Hope. Ladybug and Cilly have gone missing and I felt it best to bring her here."

Piper groaned.

"Considering her parents are all ready missing, she was understandably distressed," Chris added.

"You think this is because of the demon?" Piper asked, appearing to be hoping for a negative.

"Listen to Hope's story," Chris suggested, "and you'll believe it, too."

"Story later," Wyatt declared. "I think I found our demon."

Across the room, Tyler quit rocking Miranda and looked at them attentively.

"A week past Rachel's young Katherine came to me. She had seen a man who caused her fear. As empathy is Fiona's talent and not Katherine's, I dismissed her words as something of the natural world and I now think I was too quick to do so. I knowest not whom this James Thomas is, but in the last few days our children have been disappearing. I am only thankful that my own have not vanished, but dear sweet Katherine is gone and I fear I have failed her. If, as it appears, the children taken are only that of witches, then I have learned some startling news about one of my neighbors as his son was amongst those lost. James Thomas has himself vanished and the people of village have comest to believe as I do that he was somehow responsible. Blessed Be, Prudence. 14 April 1727."

Wyatt looked up as he finished reading. "Based off that, it appears that she's Melinda Warren's daughter."

"Okay, so our demon's name is James Thomas," Chris commented. "There is nothing there to help us.' He scowled.

"Not in what Prudence writes," Wyatt agreed. "But there is more in a different hand."

Chris waved his hand at the Book. "Then, keep reading."

"Over the last days this demon has appeared, again," Wyatt read. "At first we did not connect the two, for there is very little to go by. But there is enough. We managed to track him down, but while we confronted him, the battle came as a draw, both he and Phoebe being badly injured. Somehow between the time I injured him and the time that he escaped the battle children started to reappear. It is nearly impossible to determine how many children reappeared, for some may not have even been missed yet, but we believe that a few hundred children were safely returned to their parents. Many children were safely returned, but a call to Iona revealed that Brian was not amongst them. It rips at my heart that my friend will never see her son, again."

Wyatt stopped reading and looked up. "That's it. It's not signed."

"That still tells us nothing," Chris moaned.

"It tells us that this demon can be injured and when he is children can escape from wherever he has them," Wyatt announced. "It also tells us that if he's not vanquished, he can regain the ability to stop them from escape them pretty fast. And most likely at that point he'll go into hiding and we won't see him for another hundred years. The question is, how do we vanquish him?"

* * *

Do you know who wrote those two entries? Both were ancestor's specifically mentioned on Charmed.


	10. Lessons Seth Style

First a thank you to my reviewers:

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko - Good job on Melinda's daughter. That is exactly right. As to the other one, she actually is in "Pardon My Past", just no name, which means if I use her I have to name her. The person writing the second entry is Grams' mom, P. Baxter Johnson. I haven't decided what I'm going to have that particular "P" stand for, so I left it blank. The Phoebe she refers to is P. Bowen. While, it's not canon there is a general fanon that P. Bowen was named Phoebe and P. Russel is named Pearl. Not everyone who uses them uses that, but I chose to go ahead since the reasoning was sound. However I don't like the two fanon names I have seen for P. Baxter Johnson and neither makes enough sense to go ahead with them. In a previous story you met one of P. Bowen's descendants, a little girl named Pansy who had the ability to put molecules back together. You will be seeing her again in a later episode along with her mom and another of Phoebe Bowen's great-great-granddaughters.

soraya - Thank you. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Piper finally gets a call back from one of her sisters. And Wyatt learns an odd fact about his best friend. Sorry I got busy with another story.

* * *

Chapter Nine – Lessons Seth Style

Piper had decided to try making some potions to hopefully use on the demon when they found him. She refused to believe that they wouldn't find him, especially now that two of Phoebe's girls were missing. She was not going to be forced to tell her baby sister than she'd lost two of her children when they finally found her.

Seth shimmered in. Hope saw him first and squealed. "Seth!" She ran the few steps to him and hugged him tight. "I heard you were back. Are you going to start my lessons, again?"

Wyatt looked at his best friend suspiciously. "What are you teaching my cousin?"

Seth rolled his eyes. "Not much. Apparently your cousin here stinks at Dodge Ball and she thinks throwing large rubber balls at her counts as lessons."

Wyatt stared at him for and second and then snorted. "Right. Weird."

"I'm serious," Seth protested.

"I imagine so," Wyatt granted. "It's still weird. Find anything useful. We've ID the demon."

"Well, you topped me in that," Seth admitted. "I still can't get anyone to say a name. What's the demon called?"

"James Thomas," Wyatt informed him with a straight face, ignoring the sound of the phone ringing.

Seth frowned and looked at him. "I can't tell. You are pulling my leg, right?"

Wyatt shook his head. "Not in the least. As Kevin said, he used to be human. That was his name. As you mentioned he was injured before. We have a brief statement from one of our ancestors, presumably the ones you were referring to, stating that fact. One of them was injured, too. When he was injured the children he captured were briefly able to escape. Somewhere in the hundreds, but she wasn't really sure how many."

Piper returned to the room with a phone in hand. "Chris, watch the potion on the stove."

"But, what is it?" Chris protested.

"Just make sure it doesn't boil over," Piper instructed him. "Paige called back." Once Chris was headed toward the kitchen Piper put the phone back to her ear. "Sorry about that."

"What's going on?" Paige asked on the other end. "Your message sounded ominous."

"A demon is kidnapping magical children," Piper informed her as she walked toward the foyer. "Remember Tyler, the firestarter we helped years ago?"

Paige smiled remembering the troubled teen. "Yeah, I remember him."

"He's here," Piper informed her, "in the manor, with his wife and one of his four children. The other three have vanished. And now, Hope is here, telling us that this demon has taken her sisters as well. I got a call from Darryl earlier."

"Darryl?" Paige gasped in surprise.

Piper nodded. "There have been dozens of kidnappings in the last day that appear to be supernatural in origin. He felt he couldn't just ignore that and called here."

"I hope he doesn't just shut down the line of communication, again," Paige commented. "So these kids are because of the same demon?"

"Most likely," Piper agreed. "I told him about Prue and Andy and gave him there number. I need to call to make sure he got through to them, but I'm hoping that they can help him from that end."

"Is he in Boston?" Paige asked, again, surprised.

"Chicago, but Darryl and Andy used to be partners, so I thought he'd like to work with Andy, again."

"And they'll get there, how?"

"If they need help with that, I figure they'll call. Can you come over?"

"Sure, but I need to make sure my kids are all safe first."

"Bring them with you," Piper urged her.

"We'll see," Paige hedged. "I think maybe I'll send them to Prue, to see if she can use help over there."

"Well, before you do that, let me get Wyatt on the phone, so he can update you. I missed a bit of what's going on." Piper smiled a little. "Tyler will be glad to see you."

"It will be good to see him, too," Paige agreed. "It's nice to know the things we did had a long lasting effect."

* * *

In the next chapter Paige has to decide what to do with her kids and they aren't exactly in agreement on the topic.


	11. Divide and Protect

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Lizardmomma - Thanks.

Piperspeanut - There's a few chapters more over there still, but I appreciate you reviewing her. It definitely is nice for them to see what they did paid off, especially years later.

soraya - Thanks. I thought that was really cute. I'm still trying to establish to everyone who Seth is. And one thing he is, is the big brother to a boy around Hope's age, so he knows how to deal with kids her age and he enjoys it.

Sorry that this is taking longer to post than I planned. It's not been an ideal week, month, anything. On Saturday I got the news that my Grandma had died that morning. She wasn't young, eighty-nine, but it's not news I was expecting. I also have been trying to work on another story that I want to post here, called "Invisible". It is the _Charmed_ sequel to my _Charmed_/_Supernatural_ crossover "The Halliwell Death Trap". There is also a _Supernatural_ sequel called "Best Served Cold". Both will be having the first chapter posted as soon as I post the last chapter of that story.

At any rate, enjoy this chapter. Hopefully I have another one up for you sooner.

* * *

Chapter Ten – Divide and Protect

Paige hung up the room and headed up the stairs to her girls' room. Janice was flopped on her bed with a school book in front of her. Alanna was sitting at her computer working on a report. Both girls looked up at the sound of the door opening.

"Don't you know how to knock?" Alanna asked, slightly annoyed.

"Watch that tone, young lady," Paige warned. "A demon has been taking magical children and I need your help."

Alanna looked at her interested. "How's that?"

"We appear to be dividing our resources," Paige informed her. "Piper and her boys are at the manor and Prue's in Chicago with an old friend who's asked for help. I'm going to join Piper, but I want you two and your brother to join Prue in Chicago. Will you do that?"

"But what use would we be?" Janice asked. "We basically know our powers, but we don't have much practice in fighting demons."

"And you'll never get it if you don't fight them," Paige returned. "Besides, this demon is taking magical children. I am not leaving my three magical children here alone, especially when they don't have a lot of practice fighting demons."

"Why would someone bother us?" Alanna wanted to know. "Don't they know you'll come after them?"

"You think that would ever stop them?" Paige shook her head. "No, the demon already has two of your cousins. I'm not letting it get you, too."

"Who?" Janice asked, startled. "Who does the demon have?"

"Ladybug and Cilly," Paige replied. "Now, come on, we need to go get your brother and tell him what's going on. Is he in his room?"

Both girls shook their head. "Downstairs," Janice volunteered. "He's in the magic room. Said he wanted to try some things."

* * *

Hank flipped the page of the book he was looking at. As he read the words on the paper he drew an arrow between two of the lines. He struck through one word with a line.

At the sound of footsteps he looked up. His mom stood in the doorway. "Hey, Mom. Is something wrong?"

Paige nodded. "A demon has been kidnapping magical children. I need you and your sisters to go to Chicago and meet up with my sister."

Hank frowned. "Which sister? Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe live in San Francisco and Prue is in Boston."

"Prue went to Chicago to help an old friend who's working the case there," Paige told him.

_Case?_ "Well, where will you be?"

"The manor. Piper's working on it there."

Hank frowned. "I don't understand . Why can't we go with you?"

"You can," Paige admitted, "but I'd like you to go to Chicago to show our support to Darryl."

Hank blinked in surprise. "Darryl? As in Darryl Morris?"

Paige nodded. "The very same. Will you help?"

"But why aren't you going there, too?"

"Because Tyler specifically wants my help," Paige informed him. "When he was a boy, a little younger than you, I found him trying to hide from some demonic bounty hunters. I need to go there."

Hank nodded. "All right, Mom. I'll bring Lanna and Jani to see Darryl. I'm curious to meet him anyway."

"Thank you, Hank."

Hank shut the book he was reading, a book of nonmagical spells. He tucked it under his arm as he stood and headed for the door.

* * *

For the next chapter it's on to Darryl's office where someone sees something that isn't right.


	12. The Other Dimension

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Dancer96 - Thank you so much.

Lizardmomma - Glad you like it.

soraya - Hmm. I'm not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean that you think I have changed their personalities from what they were when I last had them in an episode. If I have, then I am sorry. I am trying to be consistant. Alanna can be as hot tempered as her power. She takes the few minutes between her and Jani very seriously and tries to be a good big sister to both Jani and Hank. Jani, on the other hand, is more calm and quiet. That's not too say she doesn't occationally speak her mind, especially around her family. It's just that's she's usually the quieter twin. While Alanna is the big sister, Jani is more motherly, not to her sister of course, and not so much to her brother, but she loves kids and is more interested in marriage and a family of her own than her sister is. Hank is the studious one, not my nature, but by shear desperation. He is terrified that though he has whitelighter powers, he has no witch powers which would make him the odd man out, since the only other ones without powers are the three from the other time line . . . though by the end of this chapter, make that two, and Hope who simply hasn't come into them. What scares him the most is the fact that he can't even cast a spell, something he spends most of his free time trying to do, any spell. What gives him the most hope is the fact that in "The Demon of Confusion" he didn't freeze. I attempt to keep them within that mold.

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko - I loved Hope's reaction there, and Wyatt's reaction to it all. That was fun. I'm glad you like how I am making the twins different. As I state above I have very distinct ideas of what I am doing with Paige's three kids, maybe more than any of the other kids.

Again, this took longer to post than I had hoped, but that's what happens when I get caught up in my writing. If I do not update in the next three days, I will not be updating for about a week. Most of my family is going to attend my Grandma's memorial service. I will be bringing my writing with me, so I may get more written, but since this story is two episodes behind, you only have to worry about if you review. I will try and make sure that I post something before I leave if anyone reviews. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Eleven – The Other Dimension

Darryl was seated at his desk looking at the reports in front of him. The only thing that popped out at him was the fact that not one parent had reported the child missing, not to the police. Two parents had actually had to be notified that their sons were missing. A knock on the door pulled his attention away from the reports. "Enter."

The door opened and a lieutenant poked his head in. "Commander, there is a family here. I don't think it's about the missing kid case, but they asked specifically to see you."

"Send them in," Darryl instructed him. "I'm expecting some people who might have some info on the case."

The lieutenant nodded and pushed the door open all the way. He stepped into the room to let them by.

Prue entered first with Pat behind her.

After them was Alanna and Janice.

Hank entered with a notepad in hand. He was writing, but he stopped as he entered the room and studied Darryl.

Darryl tried not to show the thoughts going through his head as Andy entered behind Hank.

Vicki entered without any notice from anyone. Her eyes grew wide as she looked around the room. She didn't even seem to notice Darryl or the lieutenant.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

The lieutenant left the room quickly, having other things to work on.

As soon as the door shut behind him, Darryl rose from his seat. He walked over to Andy and pulled him into a hug, patting his back before letting him go. "I can't believe you're standing in front of me."

Andy grinned back at him. "Quite frankly, neither can I. It's good to see you, Darryl, very good to see you."

"So can you guys actually help me with this, or is this just a very nice reunion?" Darryl asked, willing to go with either one.

"Shh!" Vicki demanded. "I need to listen."

Darryl frowned and looked at her.

Andy smiled. "That is my younger daughter, Victoria Penelope Trudeau. She's usually more polite than that."

"Daddy, she's trying to tell me something," Vicki informed him. "Do you want her to tell you instead?"

Andy frowned. "Who's trying to tell you something, Vicki?"

"The girl by the window," Vicki announced. "Don't you see her?"

"No one's there, Vicki," Pat tried telling her.

Vicki glared at her. "That's not very nice. She's there all right." She walked closer to the window and reached out her hand. "It's all right. My sister . . . actually I'm not sure why she said that." Then, her hand hit the wall and she jumped back. "Oh! Oh! Not good."

"Vicki?" Prue looked at her daughter, questioningly. "What's wrong?"

"My hand. . ." Vicki gulped. She blinked and looked straight ahead of her with narrowing eyes. "Mom, I think . . ."

"Do you see a ghost?"

Vicki shook her head. "Remember, I told you I had seen Alanna and Janice in my dreams?"

Prue nodded. "We thought maybe you had a prophetic dream."

"Am I dreaming?"

Prue frowned. "No, Sweetie. You're awake."

Vicki looked at the wall, seeing something no one else saw. "Who are you?"

"Vicki, no one's there," Prue told her softly.

"You're wrong, Mom," Vicki announced. She turned and looked at Darryl. "Her name is Marissa Edison. She says you have a file on her."

Darryl frowned and started flipping through the files. Soon enough he came across one with the right name. "Here she is. Marissa Edison, fifteen. You're saying she's here? What is she, invisible?"

Vicki shook her head. "Actually, she can't see you, only me. She says that this whole building seems empty."

"Then, how did she know about the report?"

"She can see objects and stuff, just not people," Vicki informed him. "She knows people are here, because she's seen stuff moving all over the place." Vicki looked at her parents. "I think I have my powers back. I still don't know what they are, but I think they're back." She pointed at the wall. "I guess none of you can see her, but that girl is there. She's alive. And I think we need to call Aunt Piper.

* * *

The next chapter was one hundred percent inspired by WyattChris, a friend on another site who has recently joined this site as Chris' Adorer. I made an offhanded comment in the previous episode about what certain characters were doing in a week and she asked if we were going to be seeing that. So for a little more insight into the mind of my warlock and those around him, the next chapter is called "The Happiest Place on Earth". Can you guess where they are? And can you guess which character is anything but happy . . . and Max doesn't count.

For anyone who wants to read ahead, there are several additional chapters on my sight, but you have to be a member to read the latest episode. For those who really want to read ahead, the entire story can be found along with the entire next episode on Alternate Charmed: All the Possiblities, also a member only site, the one where I have my one shots posted or else The Charmed Sons proboard site. On The Charmed Sons site, there are also several chapters of episode fifteen and you do not have to be a member to read there.

Vicki is right. She has gotten her powers back. If you'd like a little idea of what powers each of the kids has (since I imagine most Charmed fans know the powers of the four sisters), then keep reading.

Pat - Hasn't gotten them back, but it's a fire power.  
Vicki - No name yet, but it involves seeing into other time lines and other dementions . . . usually in her sleep.

Melinda - Hasn't gotten any back yet, but she can cast spells, again.  
Wyatt - Orbing, teleorbing, telekinesis, the fire thing from IF (though he hasn't actually come into that one), healing, and other powers from the show that I can't recall off the top of my head.  
Chris - Orbing, teleorbing, telekinesis, invisibility, elder jingle, and one power he's used by doesn't know about yet.

Ladybug - Levitation, heart orbing . . . or whatever you want to call it  
Cilly - Empathy, heart orbing, various as yet unknown abilities with her cupid ring  
Hope - Has not come into them yet

Alanna - Pyrokinesis  
Janice - Cryokinesis  
Hank - All whitelighter powers

What will happen with Pat, Vicki, Melinda, Hope, and Hank's powers will be revealed in time, some sooner than others. Three episodes that directly or indirectly deal with the powers of any of these are "Witch Eater", "Paying the Piper", and "Blood Will Tell". Of course this one deals with Vicki's to at least some degree.


	13. The Happiest Place On Earth

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Lizardmomma - I'm afraid this one won't be very long either. Steve chapters usually aren't, though they are getting longer. I hope you like it. I've started trying to pay attention to the word count when writing a chapter, attempting to make longer chapters. It doesn't always work. The one I just finished is about twice the length of this one. And without typing anything of the one after that I know it's even longer. Well, actually, the one I thought was the next one, but events changed and Wyatt has more important things to do than talk to his brother on the phone.

I love the fact that when at a place called "the happiest place on earth", Steve is miserable.

* * *

Chapter Twelve – The Happiest Place On Earth

"Please, she's a good girl," a woman told the park security. "I only turned my back for a few seconds to give her brother a bottle and she was gone."

"We'll do everything we can, Ma'am," the man told her.

Close by Steve Kessler smiled as he listened to the woman's distressed. He headed back to the snack vendor where his daughter, Devia, and her three friends, Maya, Sandy, and Esther, gathered. His niece, Brianna McInnis, handed out snacks she had just bought and her friend, Max Keegan.

"Hi, Mr. Kessler," Sandy Ramos called out as her approached them. She waved some cotton candy on a stick at him. "Look what Brianna bought me!"

Steve managed what resembled a smile. He didn't understand his daughter's interest in spending time with the two nonmagical girls, but he indulged her in it. "That was very nice of her."

Brianna snorted. "Uncle Steve, do you mind if I Max and I leave you with the girls for a few minutes?"

Max looked at her startled. "What?"

Brianna ignored him. "Uncle Steve?"

He nodded. "Come on girls, let's give them some space."

Max scowled as Steve and the girls walked away. "Brianna, now is not the time."

"You've got to talk to me, Max," she insisted.

"Not really," he argued as he started to walk away after her uncle and the four preteens. "Things are complicated, Brianna. Now, let me leave. You know why I'm here?"

"Because my cousin's too cute to resist," Brianna bit out sarcastically.

"Brianna." All he said was her name, but it sounded like a chastisement.

"Don't bother," she replied, not wanting his explanation. "I know, okay. She set you up." She paused and looked at him. "You know that, right?"

Max sighed and didn't answer.

"You're leaving," Brianna said suddenly. "Aren't you?"

Max turned back to look at her and shook his head. "Not yet. I promised that cousin of yours."

"Yes, you did," Devia announced as she ran back toward them. "Come on. You've talked enough. The park's closing soon. I want to go on more rides."

"Please!" Sandy added her plea as the rest of the girls joined them.

"Yes, please," Esther Hartgrave pleaded as she looked up at Max.

"I want to go on the dark one with all the stars," Maya Henderson added.

"Space Mountain," Max asked, sounding a little skeptical.

"That's it," Maya squealed.

"Come on," Brianna teased. "Let's go have fun, Max."

"Not my idea of fun," he retorted.

Steve reached them at that point. He'd seen no point in running after the girls when he'd known where they were going.

"Quit brooding and enjoy yourself," Brianna recommended. "Right, Uncle Steve?"

"Leave me out of this," Steve snapped back.

Brianna laughed and looked at the four girls. "Some help?"

"Daddy, please," Devia appealed, trying not to laugh.

"Please, Mr. Kessler," the other three girls pleaded.

Steve looked back toward where he had seen the mother talking to the security guard. A couple was there and from the looks of them they were missing at least one child, too. He smiled. Things were going quite well. He'd call on the demon after he convinced Devia and her friends to return to the hotel. Who knew Disneyland would be so tiresome?

* * *

That next chapter is called "Taken".


	14. Taken

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Soraya - I'm glad that you like it. Once I brought Andy into it, I had to find a time and place for him and Darryl to meet again. Vicki can't actually see ghosts, or no more than a normal witch can. Vicki's power is a little different than that. I do have a character later on who can see ghosts that even other witches can't see. As to Steve. No, I think you are safe wishing for a warlock to be dead. Unfortunately he's got more damage to do. There is a confrontation coming up in an episode that is drawing ever closer. That episode is called "Of Warlocks and of Witches". Or maybe it's "Of Witches and of Warlocks". I never can recall. There is a verbal confrontation coming up in the episode I am currently working on when someone finally figures out that Steve is behind a lot of what's going on. As I haven't quite gotten to that point, I'm not sure how that confrontation will go, but it won't end nicely.

Paige arrives at the manor and Piper learns something about her that she hadn't realized before. But a phone call eclipses that.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen – Taken

Paige orbed into the sitting room of the manor. Everyone looked in her direction when they heard her orb in, but most looked back down when they saw who it was. Tyler didn't. "Tyler, it's good to see you, again," Paige said as she walked over to greet him. "I haven't seen you much since you graduated high school." She smiled down at Miranda in Tyler's arms. "And, Miranda, it's good to see you, too. I'm sorry about Matthew, Piper, and Leah. We will find them."

Miranda smiled up at her. "You didn't mention this magic thing before."

"She didn't mention she was still in contact with Tyler, either," Piper commented.

Paige shrugged. "I don't tell you everything I do."

"You might have mentioned I had a girl named after me," Piper retorted.

"How about we find that girl," Paige suggested, "and then we can discuss this?"

Before Piper could respond the phone rang. "I'll get that," she announced as she headed into the hall to grab the phone. "Piper here."

"Hi, Piper," Prue said on the other end. "We found something I thought you'd like to know about."

"Definitely," Piper agreed. "We've found some things, too."

"I want to hear it," Prue told her, "but you need to talk to Vicki first."

Piper blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected her thirteen-year-old niece to be the one with new info. "Sure."

There was some sounds on the other end and then Vicki's voice saying, "Hi, Aunt Piper."

Piper smiled. "Hi, Vicki. Your mom said you have some info for me."

On the other end Vicki nodded. "We're in Commander Morris' office and there is a girl here, but only I can see her. She's not invisible, but it's kind of hard to explain what she is. It's more like she's in another realm or plane or dimension or something and I can see that for some reason. When I focus in on her, it's like everything around me turns to shadows, but it's all still very blurry around her. I think maybe my powers are returning and that this has something to do with that. I've seen stuff like this before, but only when I was asleep. Marissa, the girl that I've been talking to . . . hey!"

Startled, Piper could only listen to the sound of cloth rustling and what sounded like a struggle. "Vicki? Vicki?"

* * *

What do you think happened to Vicki? do you think she's all right?


	15. What Vicki Saw

First a thank you to my reviewer:

mandraco - Well, it's good to have you back. I hope that you stick around for a while and enjoy the story, but either way, I hope you continue to read and enjoy this series. I'm very glad that you aren't confused by it. Hopefully that means that I'm doing good at keeping consistant and making it flow together. You are definitely right about Vicki, but for more details on that read this next chapter.

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko - She can be a little smarty pants. She's fun. Heehee. You got that big clue in the title, huh? ;)

Things are about to get weird for Prue and Andy's younger daughter.

I'm going to try and get back to posting again. It's been a long few weeks and I was gone for quite a bit of it. Now, that I am back on, I hope that I can continue to update until you guys are caught up to me, which may take a while.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen – What Vicki Saw

"Let go of me," Vicki's voice barely registered with her it was so distant and low. There was a loud slam and then the rustle of cloth, again. "Aunt Piper?" Vicki's scared voice said questioningly.

"I'm here, Vicki," Piper assured her. "What happened?"

Vicki looked around. She could see Marissa clearly now, but everything else was a blur. There were vague outlines of walls and other objects but only the faintest sign of people. She focused her eyes on where she had last seen her mom and heaved in a deep breath followed by another. Slowly her mom came into focus. "Aunt Piper, this is really weird."

"What happened?" Piper asked, again.

"The demon captured me," Vicki informed her. "The phone got tangled up in my clothes and I guess it didn't get dislodged during the struggle. I'm not really sure what happened there. I think he turned us both invisible while he tried to subdue me, because no one seemed to see what was going and then he pulled me through a door in the middle of the room. The door disappeared as soon as he shut it." She glanced around. "I think I'm stuck here, but I'd like to take a look around."

"Okay, I'll call your mom to . . ."

"No!" Vicki exclaimed. "Aunt Piper, don't hang up. What if once you hang up I can't contact you, again."

"Then, I'll use a cell phone to call her."

"This is her cell phone," Vicki informed her.

"Does your dad have one?"

"Yeah."

"Then, I'll call Andy," Piper decided. "I'll use one of the cell phones around here and I will call your dad so I can tell everyone what's happened to you."

"Okay, I'm going to explore and see what I can find out," Vicki told her. "Would you put me on speaker, so you can hear me when I've found something." She walked away from the room where her family was, right through the outline of a wall. With a gulp she found that all around her children gathered. "There's so many children here," Vicki commented as she walked along.

* * *

Now, that Vicki's in there, what do you think she will learn? And do you think she'll be able to find her way out? Or can her family save her from being stuck there? And if they can't, how long is she safe?

I am going to try and update most of my stories in the next few days. I almost have a chapter ready for "Best Served Cold" and I do have one that just needs uploading for "Invisible". I have part of the chapter done for the next chapter of "Imaginary Fiends (and Real Friends)", just missing the middle. However, I have very specific reasons for wanting to finish uploading this story before I get much farther in that story. The good news (for those reading that story) is that once I start uploading the episode after this one, my reasoning for wanting to wait, are mostly gone. For amyone reading this who also reads on The Charmed Sons site, I am working on the next chapter of "My Curse On You". I am also working on the first story in "Witch Hunts", which I hope to complete and upload before I post more of it's sequel, but I do have a partial outline, so I can try to do more of "Phoebe is Dead" . . . if I can find the missing pieces.

Hope you enjoy this chapter and if you want more, you know how to let me know.


	16. What Can You Do

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Shaun - It will be a while before you find out what happened to Phoebe and Coop. That will be discoved in an episode called "Paying the Piper". I think that's episode nineteen or so. I'm sorry to hear that you're on bedrest. I hope that you are able to heal quickly.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen – What Can You Do

Vicki's words echoed through Piper's head as she walked into the sitting room. "Vicki's been captured," she announced.

Hope frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Considering that Vicki told me so herself, yes," Piper announced.

That got everyone's attention.

"You talked to Vicki after she was captured?" Wyatt asked.

Piper nodded. "The line's still open in the hall. She was afraid if I hung up she wouldn't be able to reconnect and she's got a good point."

"Then, where are the kids?" Chris asked.

"Vicki thinks it's some sort of other plane or dimension," Piper told him. "May I borrow your phone, please?"

Chris searched through his pockets and came up empty. "I think it's in my room."

Piper raised an eyebrow and looked at Wyatt.

Wyatt smiled and handed her his cell. "No problem."

Chris rolled his eyes.

Piper ignored them as she waited for the phone to be picked up.

"Wyatt?" Prue's voice questioned on the other end.

"Piper," was her sister's response.

"Vicki's gone, Piper," Prue informed her with a catch in her voice. "She was there one moment and then . . . she was just gone."

"I know," Piper reminded her. "I had her on the phone, still do actually."

"What?" Prue looked at the phone startled. "Is she all right?"

"She wanted to explore her surroundings and get back to me on that one," Piper informed her. "She didn't want to hang up in case the connection couldn't be retrieved."

"We can't let her stay there," Prue insisted. "Have you found out how to get her out?"

"We know that if you injure the demon enough, there will be a window of opportunity to escape, but it appears that he can stop that fairly quickly, even injured and once he does he goes into hiding which means all further opportunities may be lost."

"So we need to vanquish him, not just injure him."

"We can't let him retreat," Piper concluded. "Once we find a way to engage him, that's it. He has to go down then."

"So how do we do that?" Prue wondered aloud. "A spell?"

"A power of three spell would be nice," Piper commented, "but for some reason the three of us can't do that. We need Phoebe and we have no idea where she might be."

"A regular spell might work, though," Prue suggested.

"Could be," Piper hedged.

"Too bad we don't have Phoebe," Prue commented. "She always was best at those spells."

"I'll see if my boys can think of something," Piper offered gaining her a look of suspicion from her older son. "They've come up with some over the last few months. Maybe they can come up with something useful."

"I'll see if I can find some way to summon this demon," Prue offered. She glanced over at where Hank was sitting on the floor in the corner with his notepad. "And I think I'm going to ask Hank to work on a spell, too. Something tells me he might have some idea what he's doing there and I think he wants to help."

"Hope's finally settled herself some," Piper commented. "She's entertaining Halli." Piper looked over to where Paige was talking with Tyler and Miranda. "I hate to tear her away from them when Paige seems to have calmed down Tyler's wife, but I think I'm going to get Paige to help me try and come up with a potion and we'll see what happens with that. When Vicki finds anything, I'll let you know."

Prue sighed. "I guess I'll have to settle for that. We have to get her out of there."

"We will," Piper assured her. "We'll get all of them out."

* * *

It seemed that having something to do had lifted peoples' spirits some, but there was still restlessness, mostly in the form of Seth. He wanted a fight and he didn't know how to make it happen. He did know that he couldn't even try to find this demon until they knew how to deal with them. He was well aware of an underlining thankfulness that his little brother was human and completely nonmagical. It meant Peter was safe from this demon's agenda.

Hope and Halli were situated near Tyler and Miranda. After the fifth time that the two girls got in Wyatt's way as he tried to write a spell, Hope suggested that they switch locations. Both girls had vested interest in getting the children safely out of there, wherever there was.

Piper and Paige had secluded themselves in the kitchen where they were working on potions. Not quite sure what kind of damage this demon could take they had worked on extremely varied potions. Each one was unique, created for very different weaknesses.

Wyatt and Chris sat side by side arguing over the word of their third spell or at least what might end up being their third spell. They had several attempts that hadn't even been completed. Two were completed, but neither brother was really all that satisfied with the results. It was a big question if the spells would do any damage at all.

* * *

So do you want to know what Vicki finds? Because in the next chapter, we get a glimpse of the place Vicki's in and some people there that she finds that might be able to help.


	17. Another Time, Another Place

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Shaun - There is definitely something about Hank. What that is will be a slow reveal. No, you didn't miss anything. Believe it or not . . . Leo has a life outside of the manor. He doesn't know any of this is going on yet. Piper called her sisters. She forgot to call her husband. Leo will be arriving in time. The deal with Callie is she knows there is something odd about her boss, but she prefers not to know what that is. And she figures whatever that is counts for her boss' son, too. Thanks for the compliment on the name. It's a variation on a suggestion from Astral Echo, the admin of "Charmed: Reset Reality", though I was in contact with him on a different board. Here's your update. If you want to keep reviewing that will be awesome, but I guarantee there won't be any more updates for at least nine hours. I'm off to bed. When I wake up I'll check to see if anyone reviewed. If you (or anyone else) did, then I'll upload the next chapter, the one where the demon first shows his face.

Here's some characters that are definitely out of their element.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen – Another Time, Another Place

On the other end of the phone Vicki knew the cell in her hand was running low on batteries and that if she didn't come up with something soon she would not be able to convey anything when she did. She talked briefly to several different children, but with each one she realized there was nothing they could tell her. The last boy she'd talked to had given her a frown and pointed off into the distance. "She's dressed like a pilgrim," he told her of someone in that direction. "Maybe she knows something."

Vicki wasn't sure what to make of the comment, but she headed in the direction he had pointed and came across a group of five children of varied ages and extremely varied style of dress. One thing was very clear. Not one of these children had seen the twenty-first century.

"He's going to get into a fight, again," came the musical voice of a girl. One of the girls started pacing around the group and stopped next to a boy who seemed to be the oldest in the group. "Thou know that this is going to happen, Charles. We may never have another chance."

"You don't think you can survive another century of this, Katherine?" an annoyed voice asked, presumably Charles' voice.

"Why can't you give up this show of thou's?" "Katherine" asked. "We all have known thou far too long for that."

"He's not a good man anymore," one of the youngest children, a girl who was, as the boy had mentioned, dressed something like a pilgrim, commented.

"I don't think he ever was, Charity," a voice identical to hers said coming from a second girl in identical garb.

"Excuse me," Vicki said, deciding to approach them. "My name is Vicki Trudeau and I think you might be able to help me."

The five children turned to look at her startled.

"Who are you?" asked the younger of the two boys, a boy around her own age.

"I told you my name is . . ."

"That's not what Brian means," Katherine interrupted. "We don't have any way of getting out of here, or we'd have left a very long time ago. Why does thou think we can help thou?"

"Because you've been here so very long," Vicki replied, "and you know what happens when he finishes . . . hunting us and capturing us. Maybe you know why he chooses who he does. Maybe you can tell me anything useful that will get all of us out of here, but it only matters until this phone's battery dies."

As Vicki held the phone up, five sets of eyes stared at it with various levels of stunned. It was Brian who spoke. "That doesn't look like any phone I've ever seen."

"And when were you born," Vicki asked, regretting it the moment the words left her lips.

"1913," he replied without hesitation.

"Wow, that means you're older than Uncle Leo," she responded. Even as the words left her she looked at the four other children. "You're the youngest of this group, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Brian Scott of San Francisco."

"Boston," Vicki informed him. "I'm from Boston. Most of my family's from San Francisco though. Both of my parents were born there and apparently both of my parents died there, too."

"You lost your parents?"

She shook her head. "No. All of that happened before I was born. My parents were high school sweethearts, but when they finally married Dad had died and became a whitelighter."

"Your father is whitelighter," Katherine asked, stunned. "That's forbidden."

"Yeah, tends to run in the family I guess," Vicki admitted. "Uncle Leo was a whitelighter when he and Aunt Piper married and I guess their mom, Mom and Aunt Piper's had an affair with her whitelighter that resulted in my Aunt Paige. I also have another aunt, Phoebe, but I've never met her. See in my reality, she died before I was born and in this one my mom died, but Aunt Phoebe is missing. In my reality Mom never died, but here, everyone in San Francisco that knows anything about her, knows she died. When we came to this reality Dad was given a choice of keeping his wings or keeping us. He chose us."

"I should hope so," the as yet unidentified twin announced. "T'would be a shame to give up on one's family."

Vicki smiled. "I can talk to my family with this phone, but I don't have anything useful to tell them. Can you help me?"

"I don't know," admitted Charles, which garnered a look of victory from Katherine. "I'm Charles Lancaster. I'm from around what is now Victoria."

"Victoria?" Vicki grinned at that. "Then, we'll get along just fine, because that is exactly my name."

Charles stared at her for a moment and then smiled. "Sounds nice." He nodded in the direction of the other children. "Brian's already introduced himself. He was taken in 1927, in case that wasn't clear. I'd been here one hundred years at that point. I was born in 1811." He shook his head at Katherine. "This lively girl is Katherine Roosevelt. She's from Salem in 1727. I believe she was born in 1716." He glanced at Katherine.

Katherine nodded.

Charles looked over to the twins. "And these are Faith and Charity Goodwill. Charity is the one most likely to be smiling, though I'm not sure why Faith doesn't smile as much. I think perhaps it has something to do with Faith being the older twin. They are from a small village that was destroyed in 1627 by James Thomas a former resident and the one behind all this. They were born in 1619."

Vicki smiled at each in turn.

"Now that you know who we are," Charles continued, "what do you want to ask, because if something we know really can help you, then we want to help."

* * *

Vicki is trying to help. Do you think these kids will be able to help out any?


	18. First Hand Knowledge

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Soraya - Hi, sorry so long to get back to this. It's been a long month and a half. Glad you find the "world" Vicki is in interesting.

Shaun - Thank you. I'm glad that you love it.

The battle begins.

* * *

Chapter Seventeen – First Hand Knowledge

"Aunt Piper?" Vicki's voice called over the speaker. At first no one noticed.

Then, when she called another time Seth looked up from his pacing. He speed walked over to the phone. "Hi. Vicki, I assume."

"Uh huh," she agreed. "Who's this?"

"Name's Seth Silberman," he informed her. "I'm a friend of Wyatt and Chris'."

"Can you get Aunt Piper?"

"I think she and Aunt Paige are in the kitchen working on potions," Seth informed her.

"Did you call her 'Aunt' Paige?"

Seth grinned. "Yeah, I kind of grew up doing that with all your aunts and uncles, at least on your mom's side. I can take a message."

"All right then," Vicki agreed somewhat reluctantly. "There are some children here that have been here a very long time. Two of them actually knew our demon first hand. He was from their village in the 1620s and he killed everyone in the village and the surrounding area except for their children he took from them. And now, these two girls are all that's left."

"I'm not really sure how that helps," Seth admitted.

"It helps," Vicki informed him, "because before he destroyed their village he lived among them and the girls got to know him outside of this place. I'm going to put one of the girls on the phone. She's never seen one before, so . . ." Vicki glanced at the nervous look on Faith's face, "she's a little reluctant to touch it, but she's agreed if it will help get them out of here."

* * *

Back in the sitting room Halli climbed onto her dad's lap as Hope headed into the kitchen for a snack. "Does anyone want anything?" Hope asked as she reached the doorway. Receiving no reply, she shrugged and headed onward.

Halli snuggled up close to her dad. "It's going to be okay, Daddy. They're going to find them."

Tyler didn't say anything for a moment and then he felt a giant tug as Halli was ripped from his arms. "Halli!"

Chris and Wyatt looked up form what they were doing. Seeing Tyler's expression and seeing no sign of Halli, Chris heaved in a deep breath and concentrated on turning himself invisible. He knew the second it happened. The first thing he noticed was Halli screaming for help. Then, he saw what looked like a man dragging Halli across the room.

"Mom, freeze!" Wyatt yelled, not knowing what was going on.

Chris looks at Halli and in a loud voice called, "Halli!"

Halli orbed in front of him as the demon, James Thomas, began to fight a freeze.

Chris glanced around and spotted James' destination. A few feet from him was a partially opened door. Hugging Halli to him, he tried to pull open the door. It didn't budge, but through the crack he could see a strange hazy world and children, dozens of children. With a quick look at James, who seemed to have lost his battle to the freeze, Chris turned himself visible. He let go of Halli and let her run to her parents.

Tyler stood and hugged his daughter tight.

Miranda started weeping. "Halli, are you okay?"

Halli nodded. "I'm okay. Chris saved me."

Miranda sniffed as she looked at Chris. "Thank you."

Chris nodded and turned to his brother. "Wy, visibility spell? Anything come to mind?"

"What?" Wyatt asked surprised.

"There's a door there," Chris informed him. "We need it visible and we need him visible."

"In the light of day, shadows come to play," Paige chanted as she and Piper entered the room. "What was once unseen, can now be seen."

As soon as Paige finished casting the spell both the demon and the partially opened door turned visible. The demon is still frozen.

"Thanks, Aunt Paige," Chris called out.

"You have a spell ready?" Piper demanded.

Wyatt looked at her hurt. "You doubt me?"

"Just cast the spell," Piper urged.

"Innocent as a child's heart," Wyatt chanted, "mother and child are apart. What it takes to stop the hurt, turn this demon into dirt."

Not only did the demon not blow up, but he started to move as Piper's freeze ended. He looked around and seeing every eye on him he started to run for the door to the other dimension, ramming into Chris to get him out of his way.

Chris screamed in pain as he hit the corner of a table hard, causing the table to break and a lamp on it to come crashing down. He could only watch as James continued his run for the door.

* * *

The demon has finally made an appearance and the stakes are high. They can't let him leave, because if he does, they won't get another chance for one hundred years.


	19. No Time Left

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Shaun - Thanks. Sorry it was so short, but it cliffhanged and this one is much longer, so I stuck with it. I don't know if you've read my "Imaginary Fiends (and Real Friends)", but there is a chapter in there called "Priorities". I like to say that my "Steve" chapters are my short ones. I'm pretty sure that beats out all of my "Steve" chapters. My longest chapter is a flashback chapter during "Phoenix Witch". Here's the battle for you.

The fight with James Thomas, the demon, continues.

* * *

Chapter Eighteen – No Time Left

Seth frowned as no one seemed to be doing something. With little time to waste, he shimmered himself in front of the door.

"Be back," Paige called to no one in particular. "Tyler, get your family and Hope out of here." She added just before she orbed out of the room.

Chris pushed himself up, wincing as he did. It hurt to put weight on the right side of his body where he'd hit the table corner.

Tyler tried pulling his family and Hope toward the door. Miranda and Halli came easily enough, but Hope wasn't going to have it.

Hope moved away from the Westcott family and started creeping around the edge of the room. This was the monster that took her sisters from her. He wasn't getting away with that.

As Wyatt grabbed up the paper with the spells he and Chris had written he registered with surprise that his mom was headed toward the kitchen. Figuring she had some sort of plan in mind, he decided to ignore her actions and started chanting one of the spells. "Human once, demon now. Little wonder you know how. Blending as a mortal son, only to kill and make them run. Banish this evil from my sight; vanquish him now; end this night."

Hope grabbed up a table leg from the broken table and swung it at the demon. "I want my sisters back."

Avoiding the blow James laughed. "You think I care what you want."

"Nope," Hope admitted with a bit of sass in her voice. "I don't imagine you do." She kicked her leg out at him, this time hitting him in the shin. "But I want my sisters back and I will get them back."

He sneered at her as he ducked to avoid a potion being thrown by Paige as she orbed back in. The potion hit the floor. "You aren't even worth my time, little girl."

"What makes someone worth your time?" Hope demanded. "Why did you take my sisters?"

"Hope," Chris called, pulling her away, "don't get too close." He winced as the action pulled at his injury.

"He took my sisters," Hope announced unnecessarily. "I want to know why he didn't take me."

"You have no powers," James informed her with another sneer. "You'd die too quickly." He sblack personed as he ducked another of Paige's potions.

Paige scowled in frustration.

Chris waved his arm, sending the broken potion back toward the demon. It hit him, but did little more than make him wince.

"Wyatt, come here," Piper called as she reentered the room and froze it. She was carrying a knife.

"What's with the knife?" Wyatt asked confused. "Now, is not a time to be cooking?"

"I need an ingredient for a potion," Piper informed him, "and I really don't want to get it." She wrinkled her nose in disgust."

Wyatt looked at his brother. "Do you have any idea what she's talking about?"

Chris shook his head. "Not a clue."

"And here I thought you two paid attention to my potion's lessons," Piper scowled.

"We did," both brothers promised.

"You think he's an upper level demon?"

"Maybe," Piper agreed. "And if he isn't this should still work."

"What should work?" Wyatt asked as the sound of the front door opening caught his attention. "Someone's here."

"Piper," Leo Wyatt called from the hall. "We have a visitor."

"Tell, them to go home, please," Piper called back.

"Is something the matter?" Ava Nicolae asked as she looked around the corner. "Oh!" she gasped as she saw the scene in the sitting room.

"This can wait, right, Ava?" Piper asked.

Ava nodded. "Absolutely. I'll see you later."

"Take Tyler with you."

"Tyler?"

Tyler entered the room with Miranda behind him hold Halli. "Hi."

"Take them over to your place, Ava, please."

"Sure," Ava agreed. "I'll let your friends explain that," she added pointed into the sitting room.

"Give me that knife," Paige demanded as she grabbed it from Piper. "He's going to unfreeze and we need to make that potion. And if I'm getting that, it had better work."

"What is she doing with that knife?" Wyatt asked his brother as Ava lead the Wescotts out of the house and Paige headed toward the demon.

"I think she means to cut the demon," Chris guessed.

"With that dinky knife?" Wyatt frowned. "I do not remember anything in potions lessons about this."

"I think I do, but only vaguely."

"Hey, guys!" Seth called out as the demon started moving, again.

Piper waved her hands up and down, freezing James, Leo, and Seth. Then, she waved her hands at Leo to unfreeze him. She looked into the sitting room long enough to wave her hands at Seth and unfreeze him, too. "Paige, bring that to me as soon as you have it. I'll be getting the potion ready for it."

Paige nodded and headed back into the sitting room. She approached the demon with a grimace.

"What's she doing?" Seth asked Wyatt and Chris.

"She's going to cut off a piece of his flesh for a potion," Leo informed all three.

Wyatt wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Seth shook his head. "Aunt Paige, I'll do it. I'd like to feel that I'm contributing."

"With pleasure," Paige agreed as she handed over the knife.

Seth took it and approached the demon. He swiped down with the knife and cut a piece off James' ear. He squatted down and picked up the ear piece between two fingers and headed toward the kitchen.

"What now?" Wyatt wondered. "Got any more potions, Aunt Paige?"

Paige threw some at him, but none of them seemed to have any sort of effect.

Hope took a second one of the broken pieces of table and started toward the demon. That was when the freeze wore off, again.

James grabbed Hope, causing her to drop the broken wood, and started toward the door. "You wanted me to take you."

"No!" Hope yelled, chomping down on his arm. "Let me go."

James howled in pain, but kept his course.

"Hope!" Paige yelled trying to orb her to her. Nothing happened except James kept his run toward the door.

"You aren't using that trick twice," James retorted without looking back.

Chris was the closest to the demon and forced himself to ignore the pain in his body as he ran at James and tackled him.

Wyatt was there seconds later. "Why didn't you tell me you were in pain?" he asked his brother as he tried to pry James arms open.

"I'm fine," Chris insisted. "Hope needs help."

Paige picked up Hope's make shift weapon. She jabbed the wood into James and he dropped his hold on Hope long enough for Chris to pull her out and roll them away.

"Thanks, Aunt Paige," Chris called as he got Hope out of the way, doing his best to ignore the pain he was in.

As Seth reentered the room he noticed the air around James start to shimmer and yelled, "Cover your ears," before immediately letting out a shriek that dropped everyone to their knees including James.

Wyatt glared at his best friend. His glare grew even more menacing when Seth shrugged. "Aunt Paige, any anti manticore potions on you?"

Paige opened her mouth to answer, but stopped as she noticed Seth had stopped moving. She looked toward the back of the house to see Piper entering with a potion vial.

"Sorry about that," Piper told them. "I needed to focus on the potion."

"It's ready then?"

There seemed to be no audibly answer to Wyatt's question. Instead Piper threw the vial at James, hitting him. It broke, smattering potion all over him, glass shards hitting the ground.

Paige frowned. "Nothing?"

* * *

_"He didn't bleed," Piper announced, freaking out. "He's not bleeding. There's not blood. There's nothing."_

"Yeah," Phoebe commented, "of course he's not bleeding. He's frozen."

* * *

"He's frozen," Piper mumbled. "But I've vanquished frozen demons, so why would that matter?" She waved her arms anyway, unfreezing the room.

Leo and Seth started moving, again, just as James started to twitch and scream.

"Is everyone all right?" Leo ask as he looked around.

"Except for the demon, yeah," Piper informed him as James exploded into a million indistinguishable pieces. "Everyone is good."

The door suddenly popped open and a loud squeal of victory came across the speaker. "It worked!"

* * *

Well, the demon's gone and the doors open, but what will happen to those kids who have been there for centuries? And is everyone back where they belong?

If anyone is curious, the flashback is from "They're Everywhere" in season two. The "he" mentioned is Dan when Piper was afraid he was a warlock.


	20. Past Meets Present

First a thank you to my reviewer:

Shaun - :D Thanks so much. Here's another chapter, just because you asked.

After four hundred years James Thomas has been defeated. Those who survived him, can now escape, but what about the children who survived from 1927, 1827, 1727, and 1627?

* * *

Chapter Nineteen – Past Meets Present

Several minutes had passed since the door opened, but nothing had happened in the meantime, nothing with the door at any rate. Chris had allowed Wyatt to heal his injuries from the battle. They weren't severe, but at least he walked without a wince now.

"Aunt Piper," Vicki's voice came over the speaker.

Everyone gathered toward the phone before Piper replied. "Is everything all right, Vicki?"

"Yeah," Vicki informed them. "There's a lot of kids here and some of them are taking convincing to leave. I'm about ready to head back to Mom and Dad, but I'm sending some people your way. 'Kay?"

"Sure," Piper agreed, "but who are you sending?"

"Just some kids with . . ." The rest of what she was saying was cut off as Prue's cell finally died.

Piper groaned as she reluctantly hung up the phone. "What was she trying to tell us?"

"How about part the crowd so I can get to my little sister?" Ladybug Halliwell suggested from the doorway.

Next to her, her sister, Cilly Halliwell, grinned at them. "Some sort of adventure there, huh? Do we have all of you to thank?"

Hope wiggled her way around her family members and hugged Ladybug around the torso. "I was so scared." She turned her hug on Cilly and added. "You weren't there. You just weren't there. And what would I have done without you?"

"Let's hope you never find out," Ladybug suggested as she hugged both of her sisters. "I sure don't want to."

"Wow!" a girl's voice exclaimed from the sitting room. "This room is massive."

Piper and Paige looked at each other worried. Leaving Phoebe's three daughters to their reunion everyone started toward the sitting room.

"Not so much," a boy's voice argued. "I believe this is where Mrs. Campbell resided before her marriage. I think she lived with her cousins."

"And who is Mrs. Campbell?" Piper asked as she looked at the four children in the room. Brian looked up at her and blinked in surprise. "Mrs. Johnson?"

Paige chuckled and sent an amused looked at her sister. "Do you have something to tell us, Piper?"

Piper shook her head as she tried to remember why that name sounded familiar. As people entered the room behind her she gasped. "Oh!"

"Do you know who Mrs. Johnson is?" Paige asked.

"I think I was," Piper whispered, "in my past life."

"Like the evil enchantress?" Paige asked, remembering her own encounter with her past life.

"Like that," Piper agreed, "but Mrs. Johnson also was Grams' mother."

Brian looked at her for several seconds. "Of course you aren't Mrs. Johnson. I'm sorry. It's just this house matched with your face and that is what I think of."

"Did Vicki send you?"

"She's nice," Charity announced. "I like Victoria."

"Victoria, huh?" Piper repeated amused. "If she's anything like her mom, she probably doesn't want to be called that."

"She didn't seem to mind," Faith commented.

"Everyone's out," Charles announced as he stepped out of the door. As he headed toward him the door slammed closed and the door imploded stunning everyone. Charles turned around and looked behind him with wide eyes. He gulped breathed, "I'm sure glad that waited to do that until after I was out. After two hundred years of waiting I didn't want it to just end when I got out."

"Two hundred years," Chris mouthed at Wyatt.

Wyatt pointed a finger at the twins and mouthed back, "I think they've been there longer."

"That maybe so," Piper responded, having heard them despite their attempt to be quite, "but what do we do with them now that they are here. We can't exactly tell people that they are hundreds of years old."

"I'm only one hundred," Brian offered. "Well, one-hundred-and-fourteen."

Piper sighed and offered him a weak smile. "I know you mean well, but that doesn't really help. It means we might be able to find your birth certificate and we might even be able to find living grandkids of your parents, maybe, but what then? What do we do with you?"

* * *

The demon may be gone, but they still have a problem to solve. What do you think they are going to do?

I'm having "fun" trying to put into words a scene for a "Charmed: Witch Hunts" episode that I have envisioned for a long time. The scene is actually being used as a flashback for something in an upcoming episode of "Charmed: Heritage". The "Witch Hunts" episode it comes from is called "Beloved Whitelighter". For those who have read what is posted of "Witch Hunts" or plan to read it once it gets up and running, the episodes to that point are as follows: #1 - Phoebe's Crime and Conviction, #2 - Phoebe is Dead, #3 - A Friend is Charmed, and #4 - Beloved Whitelighter. It is interesting to try and think what kind of differences might be present if the world from "Morality Bites" were to be explored. If anyone knows any stories that followed that world, let me know please so I can add them to my list. Including my own, I think my current list is only eight long.


	21. Choices to Make

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Chris's Adorer - Entirely up to you if you want to review here as well. As to knowing the ending (which of course you do since you read it five months ago on TCS), I don't think most people read the reviews before they read the chapter. Now, there are people like me who occationally get obsessed with figuring out what author responces mean and thus read the reviews with that in mind, but even I read the story first.

Shaun - I'm glad that it was just what you needed. I've been trying to adjust to a very different work schedule than I am used to, so I have had trouble updating things and even writing new stuff. To be honest, until a reviewer (Chris's Adorer on this site) suggested it, I hadn't thought of sending them back to their own time, but since then I have thought about it and decided that it wouldn't work. I will list the reason for that at the end of this chapter. Ladybug, Cilly, and Hope are good sisters and they are having to rely a lot on each other with their parents missing. Glad you like their relationship. Mrs. Johnson, yep. P. Baxter Johnson, Piper's past life.

Soraya - It's funny how many people think of that idea, but I didn't. Once it was suggested, five months ago by Chris's Adorer, I considered if it would work, and deturmined that sending them back wouldn't. I'll explain that at the end of the chapter. And they aren't technically dead. They are alive. Grant you they were kept alive by artificial means to allow James Thomas to torture them. He wanted to torture them to death, not have them die of starvation or sleep deprivation. And yet that was part of the torture, feeling the effects of starvation and sleep deprivation, but that particular torture didn't actually affect them physically, so they are not actually starved, though they haven't eaten in a very long time, and they are no more or less tired then if they hadn't slept in a day or so. That is an interesting idea to make them whitelighters though. I'm not sure my grumpy Charles would qualify, though he did try to protect the other children. And that's another thing that may or may not be clear, they are mentally and emotionally the age they are physically. Though the twins are two hundred years older than Charles, they are still younger than him in every way that counts except actual years. And for all his two hundred plus years, Charles still has to growing to do, though he's more mature than the others. Brian does have a big brother mentality towards the girls, just as he did toward his own younger brothers, but he's not ready by any means to join the world of adults. Katherine pulls into herself and projects this happy go lucky attitude, but she's often just a scared kid trying to survive.

lizardmomma - Yikes! That sounds very unpleasant. I talked to someone just yesterday who'd had hers removed and she said it had made spicy foods no longer agree with her. If you like spicy foods (not everyone does, of course), then I hope it has not effected you similiarily. Glad to have you back though.

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko - Yep, you are caught up. Here's a new chapter for your reading pleasure.

This story changed a lot of things for this series. Various future events have been changed to fit what happened in this story. It shall make an interesting impact on my IF rewrite for those of you who are reading that.

Enjoy this next chapter. :)

* * *

Chapter Twenty – Choices to Make

While Piper, Paige, and Leo tried to figure out what to do with the five time displaced children, Wyatt and Chris bid their cousins good-bye. Ladybug said that it was just too much in a day for her little sister and admitted that she was exceedingly glad that Hope hadn't come into her powers, even if Hope wanted them so desperately.

"As long as she doesn't have them," Ladybug commented with a sigh, "she's off their radar. Once she comes into her powers the demonic world is going to start paying attention to her, just as it does with all the rest of us."

"Be careful," Wyatt cautioned her.

Ladybug nodded. She leaned in close to him and in a whispered tone so her sisters couldn't hear her she said, "I don't know if I'll ever see my parents again. This isn't like them. And I will do everything I can to make sure nothing happens to my sisters." She gave him an ironic smile before adding, "Of course it would help if I didn't let something happen to me either or how can I possibly protect them."

Wyatt chuckled. "I'll see you later."

Cilly leaned over and planted a kiss on Wyatt's cheek. "Don't worry so much, Wy. We're all safe now and you are safe from my matchmaking for present."

Wyatt looked at her questioningly. "I wasn't thinking about matchmaking. Why'd you bring it up?"

"Because I want to see you smile," she informed him. "I know you miss her and I don't really know how to deal with that."

"How about don't?" he suggested.

"For now, I'll leave it be," she agreed. "But be happy."

"I am happy," he informed her. "There are some things that I would rather not be, but I won't let them keep me from being happy." He gave her the grin she wanted and kissed her on the forehead. "Be safe, Pricilla Venus."

She rolled her eyes at him and in pink and white hearts she vanished from sight.

Ladybug hugged Hope close and seconds later they too had disappeared in pink hearts.

Behind Wyatt the phone rang, startling him. He turned around and picked it up "Hello?"

"Hi, it's Ava," Ava informed him on the other end. "I just got three new guests a few minutes ago. Can I assume that it's safe to return?"

Wyatt smiled. "Yes. Yes, it's safe."

"In that case I will be back over in a few minutes with," she paused a moment before continuing, "six people in tow. I have some things for you. I was going to just give them to your parents, but since you're over there, I figure I will just give them to you."

"I'll see you then," Wyatt said. He finished off the conversation, bidding her good bye and returned to the room where his family stood around trying to figure out what to do with the five children. The twins had fallen asleep on the couch. Charity had declared it the softest thing she had ever touched. Faith had shaken her head and yawned, completely exhausted. The second she had put her head down she had fallen sound asleep. Brian was trying hard not to nod off completely in one of the arm chairs. Katherine was at that moment in the living room, watching the cars go by with eyes as big as saucers. Charles seemed to be the self appointed guardian of the five children. He watched the adults with guarded eyes.

"Ava is on her way over with the Westcotts," Wyatt informed everyone as he entered the room. He looked at the twins asleep on the couch and smiled. "Should we put them in beds?"

Piper shook her head. "I don't want to wake them. I think they need the sleep."

"They do," Charles agreed. "They haven't slept in four hundred years. It's one of the ways he tortured us." He shuddered. "You were saying you thought maybe you could find Brian's family. We're not going to be separated and no one is going to be left alive that remembers him, so unless they are willing to take us all in, you'll have to find another solution."

Paige frowned. "Well, my husband and I are licensed for emergency foster care, so we could take you guys in for a few days or weeks until we find a better solution."

"What's foster care?" Charles asked confused.

Paige sighed. "Never mind. Forget that part of it. My husband and I can take you in for a while. We only have three bedrooms and five people live in them, but we can make room for five more. I'm sure Hank wouldn't mind having a couple of guys his age to spend time with. And the twins would love having another set of twins around."

"And Katherine?" Brian asked.

The doorbell rang and Wyatt exited the room, again.

As he left he heard Paige respond, "We can fit five people in their room. It will be like a giant slumber party." She shook her head. "And those girls will not be getting much sleep. Janice will want to know all about where and when you five come from."

Wyatt pulled open the door and found Ava and the six Westcott. Tyler was hugging Leah in his arms and had Piper by the hand. Miranda carried the sleepy Halli whose arms hung loosely around her mom's neck. Behind them walked Matthew Westcott, Tyler's oldest at fourteen, and Ava.

Ava held out a manila envelope. "I talk to Curtis Darrin and I'm fairly certain this is all the info he had on your visit to the hospital other than very general stuff like admittance. I watched him destroy any blood samples he had. You were right that he kept some back."

Wyatt exhaled sharply. "You're sure?"

Ava nodded. "I believe so. He didn't look too happy, but I'm pretty sure I got to him."

"You didn't explain why, did you?"

Ava shook her head. "That would have just made things worse. Curtis didn't need to know those things."

"May we come back in?" Tyler requested.

Wyatt chuckled. "Sorry about that. Yeah, let's join everyone." He took the envelope from Ava and led the way back into the sitting room.

Matthew stopped at the door way and looked at the different people in it. His eyes stopped on Paige and he smiled. He walked over to her and held out his hand. "Paige Matthews, to the rescue again."

Paige laughed. "I hardly think talking to your class was a rescue."

Matthew shrugged. "Who else can say that they brought a Charmed One to show and tell?" he returned with a laugh. "And for bonus points say that they were named for a Charmed One. I never thought it was cool that I was named after a woman until then."

Paige laughed harder. "Well, I'm glad you thought so."

"What class is this?" Miranda asked.

"Who are the children?" Ava asked before anyone could answer Miranda, looking down at the sleeping twins. Realizing she'd interrupted Miranda she turned around and gave her and an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. Continue."

Miranda shook her head. "It can wait, but your question . . . Who are these children? Our children were returned to us. Why weren't they returned to their parents?"

"Because my parents have been dead since some time in the nineteenth century," Charles informed her. "The twins' parents were killed in 1627 by the same demon that captured all of us. Shall I continue?"

"You have no parents," Ava repeated concerned. "But what will become of you?"

"Actually, we were just discussing that," Piper admitted. "Paige was saying that if Henry is okay with it, she could take them in for a few weeks, but that's not a permanent solution."

"I have an empty house," Ava volunteered.

All the adults and some of the children turned to look at her. "What are you saying?" Piper asked.

Ava looked at the children. "My house is so empty with Kali away in school. It was always kind of big for two people anyway, but Kali," she laughed. "She didn't want to move away from her new friends, so once we moved there we weren't moving out." She glanced in the general direction of her house across the street. "We have four bedrooms. One of them is Kali's, but I image we could make it work. How many children are there?"

"Five," Leo said as he led Katherine back into the room. "There are the two boys and three girls."

Ava nodded. "Well, if the boys are willing to share a room and two of the girls, I imagine I could talk Kali into sharing her room. She's only in it some of the time anyway."

"Are you sure?" Piper asked.

Ava nodded. "Yes, I'm sure. Tyler said that it's magical children that were disappearing, so I imagine these children all have magical powers of some sort. Are they all witches?"

"Fiona was an empath," Katherine volunteered, softly, "but I hadn't actually come into my powers. Thou would feel a bit sad too if thou's younger sister had come into her powers and thou hadn't."

"Does she always talk like that?" Matthew asked Charles.

Charles nodded. "I have learned to accept that it's just part of Katherine. It's only that one word though."

Ava looked at Charles. "What about you? Are you a witch?"

He nodded. He held out his hand.

Curious, Ava took it in hers.

Charles heaved in a breath and closed his hand around hers.

"Whoa!" Ava exclaimed. "That's cold!"

Charles held up his other hand and shook his head.

Ava stared at him startled and asked, "How did you warm your hand up so fast?"

"It's not just my hand," he informed her as he dropped both hands to his sides. "I can control the temperature around me for several feet." He sighed. "Or I used to be able to?" He chuckled. "It's interesting how fast someone will drop their hold on you when you start to burn them just with a touch or they get frost bitten just being close to you." He sighed. "Didn't work with James Thomas. He learns your tricks and powers and blocks them. He can't do it for long, but he can do it long enough to take off with someone. Or he could." He looked at Piper. "Thank you for making that potion."

"Do you really want us to come live with you?" Brian asked.

Ava smiled at him. "I would be honored." She turned to Paige. "You still have contacts with social services, right?"

"Paige nodded. "Absolutely. I'll get on it in the morning."

"Well, I'm not going to wait until the morning to give these kids a home. It sounds like they have been in sore need of one for a very long time." She looked at the children and sighed. "Well, I only have four beds including Kali's and mine. Mines' big, so I can share it with one of the girls."

"I don't care about sharing, if it's needed," Charles admitted. "I . . . I used to share a bed with my brother, Joshua."

Ava smiled and shook her head. "I think perhaps Katherine can share my bed and the two little ladies on the couch can share Kali's bed. The two beds in the guest rooms are smaller."

"Their names are Faith and Charity," Brian offered.

"Thank you," Ava replied looking at him. "And what's yours?"

"Brian Scott," he informed her before asking curiously, "And yours?"

"Dr. Ava Nicolae," she responded automatically.

"Doctor, huh?" Brian replied intrigued. "What kind of doctor?"

"I'm a surgeon." Ava looked at Piper, Paige, and Leo. "And objections?"

Piper shook her head. "They need some place to stay and I don't think I'm ready to raise more children. Are you?"

Ava nodded. "I think we can do this, don't you?" she asked the three older children.

Charles looked at Brian and Katherine before he answered Ava. "We are willing to try. Thank you." He yawned.

"Why don't we get these kids over to your house and into beds," Paige suggested. "Wyatt and Chris can orb the twins over there, because I don't think we should risk waking them."

Wyatt and Chris looked at her surprised. "What about you?" Chris asked.

Paige walked over to Miranda and took Halli out of her arms. "I have some other kids to deal with."

Halli giggled as Paige tickled her.

Wyatt chuckled and walked toward the couch. Noticing that Chris wasn't following him he turned around. "Coming?"

Chris looked at the kids uncertain. "I don't want to wake them."

"They haven't slept in four centuries," Wyatt retorted as he gently picked Charity up off the couch. "I don't think they're going to wake up for a very long time no matter what you do," he gave Paige a look and added, "which is why we are _walking_ across the street. Orbing them is the one thing I can think of that might wake them, since it has a tendency to disorient people not used to it." Cradling Charity close to his body, Wyatt headed toward the door.

Chris carefully picked up Faith, but looked rather awkward trying to carry her.

Charles watched him amused for a few seconds and headed over to him. He held out his arms and slipped them under Faith. "Don't worry. I'll take care of her."

Chris sighed. "Thanks."

As soon as Faith was safely in Charles' arms he turned to look at Ava. "Lead the way, please."

* * *

First, what do you think of this solution? I did not go into this story expecting this children to show up (which is frequently not a good thing), and so I didn't have an exact plan for them. It has been suggested by various people that it might be a good idea to send them back. I have considered that since it was brought to my attention five months ago and concluded that it wouldn't be a good idea. It could, I suppose be worked in to erase their memories of their time there, but otherwise they have a bond they have built which they don't want to lose. They have all resigned themselves to the fact that their families are gone (not entirely true, but you'll find that out soon enough) and that these other four children have been their family much longer than anyone else. The twins literally have nothing to return to. Their village was destroyed by James Thomas. He took about twenty children (in that case some magical, some not) and killed everyone else in the village. All the other children, if returned to their times would have somewhere to go, however unless their memories are erased, we have a major issue with time tampering. They have a lot of knowledge of things to come, give to them by each other and by others they have encountered over the years.

If returned to 1627, Faith and Charity go back to a time only seven years after the Pilgrims arrived, long before America was a country. Their youth might prevent them from recalling enough to disrupt history, but again, they have nowhere to go.

If returned to 1727, Katherine would find herself with her parents and her sister Fiona. She would also have to deal with the knowledge that most likely her sons would be fighting in the Revolutionary War. And she would remember that. She might well have heard of specifics from Charles or more likely from Brian (since Charles is the only one among them who is not at least from the land that is currently the US, the girls all being from before the country was formed). She would have been in her late fifties when the war started.

If returned to 1827, Charles would be a slightly different situation, but still his own country of Canada would likely have events happening during his life that he would know about due to talking to people captured by James Thomas. The American Civil War might or might not affect him, since slaves did try to escape to Canada during that time. He'd be in his late fourties when that war began. Not being Canadian, I do not know enough of Canadian history to comment on it. He would have his parents and his brother (and potentially other siblings, I only know of one for sure).

If returned to 1927, Brian would have his parents, his brothers, and ultimately a sister. He would also have the knowledge of less than a decade until the second world war during his life time was to begin. He would most likely know that he'd be forced to fight in that war, since he would only be in his twenties when it happened. And while he wouldn't know a lot about it, he'd have heard enough from the newly captured children. It would have been something he would have desired to learn, just to try and figure out what might have happened to people he knew.

And who's to say it would stop there. One vote can sometimes decide the election. One voice can sometimes sway the world. Any one of these children, if not careful might change the world in ways that might prove harmful.

I hope that you like the way I did decide to go with this story.

The next chapter is dedicated to TaintedDarkInuShemeeko. Remember when I said that you would see your name in the next chapter and you couldn't find it, because I only meant your user name, well, the next chapter really does have your name in it, due to that conversation. Enjoy.


	22. Emily, the Spy

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Shaun - Well, there is only a few more chapters to this story, but the next one will start immediately following. This next chapter wraps up events that started at the end of the previous episode.

Soraya - :D I'm glad you like how I handled the kids. I will try to figure out a way to get them papers, though that will not be dealt with in this story. It may end up being one of those things that isn't covered, but I will try. I like to keep those details dealt with. I do have plans to get a few other people some papers, but that is also for another story.

lizardmomma - I'm glad to hear that the lack of spicy foods won't be an issue for you. I'm not a huge fan of spicy foods (though there are some I like), so I understand. And I am very glad you are feeling much better. As you said, that's the important part. I'm glad you liked the solution for the kids.

This next chapter is dedicated to TaintedDarkInuShemeeko, since I named a character after her. The chapter more or less get's it's name from "Harriet, the Spy". Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One - Emily, the Spy

Wyatt wasn't back yet when the phone rang. Piper excused herself to go get it. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Halliwell, is Chris there?" Emily's voice asked on the other end of the phone.

Piper frowned. "Aren't you at work?"

"Yes," Emily answered easily.

Piper's frown deepened. Why was one of her employees calling her son while at work? "At my restaurant?"

"Yes," Emily agreed again. "Drinka said it was okay for me to call."

Piper sighed. "Fine. I'll find him." She put the phone down on the small entry table and headed back into the sitting room.

Chris was sitting on the couch trying to be polite to the two older Westcott girls. Leah was seated on the couch next to him, looking up at him questioningly.

Piper smiled. "Chris, Emily is on the phone for you."

"Emily is?"

Piper nodded. "She wants to talk to you."

Chris disengaged himself from the two girls and headed into the foray where he grabbed the phone. "Emily?"

"Hey, Chris," she greeted. "I saw something a little bit ago that I thought might interest you."

Chris blinked. "Um. Okay?"

Emily laughed. "There is a group in here. One of the men in the group came in looking like he'd just lost his best friend, but for whatever reason decided to come to this dinner anyway. About five minutes ago a woman entered the restaurant with a little girl. Drinka led them into the main room and took them over to the table with those men."

"You've lost me completely, Emily," Chris admitted. "Is there a point to this story?"

"When that man saw the little girl his face almost literally lit up," Emily continued as if he hadn't said anything. "Apparently the little girl was his daughter and she'd gone missing last night. He was up the whole night trying to find her and through the day. He had this business dinner and his sister, the woman, insisted that he attend, because apparently his boss wouldn't have cared about his missing daughter. He came, but he was miserable."

"I still don't understand why you are telling me this, Emily," Chris persisted.

"As they were headed out I heard them talking."

* * *

_"Aaron, Raina is fine," Brie Lloyd insisted. "Right now what she needs is sleep." As if to illustrate her point, Raina Lloyd snuggled up closer to Brie and yawned._

_"Brie, she is not all right," Aaron Lloyd insisted just as stubbornly. "My daughter needs me after this. I don't even care about my job anymore."_

_"I think you'd better. I don't think your boss is going to accept 'my daughter was kidnapped by a de . . .'"_

_Aaron slapped his hand over her mouth. "Brie you can't just say things like that."_

_"Why not?" Brie wanted to know. "No one is listening." She nearly walked into Drinka Deguilio._

_Drinka looked at her curiously. "I take it, everything went well."_

_Aaron gave his sister a look._

_Brie looked back at him sheepishly._

_Drinka smiled. "Never mind all that. Subterfuge never set well with me."_

_"Whatever are you talking about?" Brie asked._

_Drinka just shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Go home with your daughter, sir. I believe I can smooth things over with your business associates."_

_Aaron frowned. "Who are you?"_

_"Let's just say that I believe there is always a place for a little magic in peoples' lives," Drinka stated. "You daughter is very lucky. From what I understand thousands of children have not been so lucky."_

_Aaron gulped. "Do you know what happened to my daughter?"_

_Drinka shook her head. "No, but I have a very good guess. I know some people."_

_Aaron frowned at her, but just sighed. "Brie, hand Raina over. We're going home, now. If you want to come, you can, but I'm not letting her out of my sight for a while."_

_Drinka watched them leave and looked around the corner to where Emily was eavesdropping. "You hear enough?" she asked disapprovingly._

_Emily shook her head. "That made no sense, but I think they were talking about something . . . never mind."_

_Drinka shook her head. "Well, you didn't hear anything worth repeating, so don't."_

_Emily nodded slowly and stopped. "I thought maybe she started to say demon." She forced the last word out of her mouth, remembering that Chris had said Drinka knew about all that._

_Drinka nodded. "She probably did. As I said, not worth repeating."_

_"Not even to Chris?"_

_Drinka frowned. "What's this about Chris?"_

_"That's why he had to leave, isn't it?" Emily asked, putting the pieces together. "He had something to do with getting this girl back to her father."_

_"Perhaps," Drinka agreed._

_"May I call him?"_

_"Why?"_

_"To tell him about that little girl. If he had something to do with this, he'll want to know that she's all right."_

_Drinka sighed and nodded. "Yes, go ahead, but not a word to anyone else. Understand?"_

_Emily nodded. "I understand."_

* * *

"That's why I called," Emily informed Chris. "Was that why you left work, because of that little girl going missing?"

"Not specifically her, but . . ." Chris stopped. "Look, I know you mean well, but you really need to stay as far away from this as possible. What we do is dangerous."

"Yes, I know. You've already told me, but what difference could a phone call make."

Chris groaned. "Thank you for telling me, Emily. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

Emily sighed. "Sure. Bye, Chris."

Chris hung up the phone and stared at the wall opposite him. Was she trying to be involved in the world of magic? Didn't she understand how dangerous it was? Maybe he should have just given her some brief explanation and made her leave when she'd come asking for explanations. Or better still, maybe he should have dusted her memory. Too late, now.

* * *

Emily is getting more involved. She wants to know about magic. She enjoys helping her brother with his magic shows, but this is the real stuff and she wants to know more. Also she likes the idea of helping people.

The next chapter is called "Not Antique". Seeing as I set this series seventeen years in the future, I have to guess at a lot of things, but I'm guessing a lot of things will not have changed by then. Probably a lot of things will, especially electronics, but this one I think will still be around.

Enjoy.


	23. Not Antique

First a thank you to my reviewers:

Shaun - Hehe. I think this is one of those place where wait and see (which I hate hearing) is probably my best answer. There is something there, but what, well that will come with time.

Soraya - You will. You most certainly will.

When possible I like to have a fun relaxing scene after all is fixed with the boys. This isn't quite that, but it's fun.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two - Not Antique

When Wyatt finally returned Chris had already said his good-byes and had headed back to their apartment. Wyatt gave his mom a quick kiss and orbed back into the apartment's living room. Seeing no sigh of his brother, he headed into the hall and knocked on Chris' closed door. "Everything okay?"

Chris pulled opened the door and nodded. "I've just been wondering if I made the right decision last week."

Wyatt waited silently for more.

"Emily called," Chris explained. "Apparently she saw something she thought was unusual and decided to find out if she could if magic had anything do with it."

"Did it?"

Chris nodded. "This isn't her fight."

"Perhaps not," Wyatt agreed. "And we all told you not to cast that spell."

"But we know she won't betray us," Chris argued.

"We know that at that point in time she had no intention of doing so," Wyatt reminded him. "We don't know her and we don't know how time will change her."

Chris shook his head. "No, I'm pretty sure she's safe. I just don't want her sticking her nose in this and getting it cut off."

"You warned her," Wyatt reminded him.

Chris sighed. "Yeah, I did. Why did she have to be so curious?"

"Perhaps it's her nature," Wyatt suggested. "She'll probably be safe as long as she doesn't actually start trying to stop demons."

Chris smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess that's true. And why would she go after demons? She'd lose."

Wyatt grinned back. "Come on, we've had a long day and I'd like to play some sort of game. Interested?"

Chris shrugged. "I might be persuaded. What did you have in mind?"

Wyatt considered this. "I was thinking we should go down to the store and see if we could find a likely board game."

"Board game!" Chris exclaimed amused. "And where do you intend to find one of those? An antique shop?"

Wyatt snorted. "I will have you know that board games are not antiques. Kali and I spotted a brand new one just a few months ago when she dragged me around the stores to help her with her Christmas shopping."

Chris shook his head laughing. "Lead the way then. This I have to see. A new board game. Please."

* * *

This story is drawing to a close, but it's not done yet. Steve isn't letting up and he's already setting up for his next attack, but this time something has happened to someone in his circle.


	24. Accusations and New Plans

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Thanks. I'm glad you like them.

Soraya - There sure are a lot of versions of monopoly out there.

Shaun - I enjoy board games a lot, too. Wii. Hmm. Yeah, not my favorite system out there. I have one, but only because it had the sequel to one of my favorite video games (Tales of Symphonia) on it.

You will get to either see or hear of the demise of most of Steve's coven. Dam (the darklighter from "The Magic Is Back"), Angel (Steve's sister and Brianna's mom), Ry, and Kayla are dead. I believe the rest of the coven is alive. So far though, you've got Steve and Dathe to deal with. Steve's up to more no good and Dathe isn't too happy about something that just happened.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three - Accusations and New Plans

"It failed," Steve exclaimed annoyed as he paced around his underworld lair. He'd left the girls with Brianna and Max and come here to sulk over the downfall of his plan while he waited for his next to begin to take shape. There was always another plan. "How could it have failed?"

"I told you it was a bad plan," his friend, Dathe Renoir, another warlock, announced.

Steve glared at him. "No one asked you. Why are you here anyway?"

"Dam's daughter is missing," Dathe announced. "Twelve-year-old girls don't just go missing."

"They do when they are half darklighter," Steve argued. "I'm sure Esther will turn up."

"I'm not," Dathe countered. "Further, I am beginning to believe your niece has a hand in this."

"No," Steve stated flat out.

"She's friends with CT Bennett," Dathe argued. "We know he's been involved in things like this."

"We don't know that," Steve shook his head. "It's probably just a spiteful rumor."

"The underworld doesn't need rumors, spiteful or otherwise, to go after that guy," Dathe informed him. "He's just too powerful and he seems to side with good."

"Perhaps he seems to," Steve conceded, "but you haven't seen him when the Charmed Ones are brought up. He despises them. How can anyone good despise them?"

"I suppose you are ready to welcome him into your family?" Dathe asked sarcastically.

"Hardly," Steve returned. "He may or may not be on our side, but he's dangerous, so thankfully that's not an issue."

"He took Esther, Steve," Dathe insisted before he blinked out.

Steve shook his head. "You can enter now."

What looked like three middle aged businessman entered the room. "Interesting friend you have," one of them commented.

Steve shrugged. "That is irrelevant here. You read my message?"

The demon nodded. "Sounds like you want to retry a failed plan and leave us to get vanquished for our troubles."

"I'm not asking you to confront them directly," Steve argued. "I have a plan, but I need the brothers separated when it happens."

"You tried to get rid of their orbing," stated the second demon. "They got it back. You also tried to mess with their memories. That, too, failed. Why should this plan be any different?"

"Maybe it's not," Steve admitted, "but if this is the plan that will take them out, we need to follow it through. We need to find out. If we don't destroy this family, eventually they will destroy this."

"I suppose you can see the future," the third demon snorted. "Are you a seer, an oracle?"

Steve ignored the remark. "Will you are least listen to my idea?"

The three demons looked at each other. When they looked back at him, they nodded as one.

Steve sneered at this. "In that case, this is my plan."

* * *

You cannot accuse Steve of lacking in plans. He is deturmined to make this work. Now, he has a slight bit of trouble from his own side, and finds himself defending his niece over agreeing with his friend. Who do you think is right? Steve or Dathe? What actually happened to Esther Hargraves? (If anyone missed it, since I'm not sure how clear it is, Esther's father was the darklighter in the very first episode. Her mother is also dead.)

What do you think Steve's latest plan is? And what are these demons up to?

Only one more chapter of this story and as a bonus, once I post that chapter I will be posting the first chapter of the next episode. The next episode is called "When Two Wrongs Make a Right".


	25. GoodBye and Hello

First a thank you to my reviewers:

lizardmomma - Thanks.

Soraya - I agree. Steve does need to get a life, raise his little girl, and accept that Dam (the darklighter) went on a suicide mission when he attacked the boys, but my warlock is rather stubborn.

Shaun - Will do. Here's the last chapter of this story for your reading pleasure.

This last chapter is rather bittersweet. Brian, the youngest (chronologically) of the five time displaced children wanted to find out if he could find out the fates of his two brothers, Ethan and Geoff. In this scene he is in the cemetery where he has found the grave of the younger of the two, his brother Geoff. Keep in mind Brian came from a family who was well versed in using magic and was serious about knowing their witchcraft.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four – Good-Bye and Hello

A dozen colorful flowers lay dying on the cold, hard stone of the grave in front of Brian. Brian brushed his hand against the granite and traced the letters etched into it.

Geoffrey Chandler Scott  
March 23, 1918 – July 15, 2000

As Brian's finger's reached the last letter he heard a click and a piece of stone slid away revealing a small TV screen. Brian stared at it startled.

For a moment the screen was blank, but then he turned into an image of a man in his seventies or eighties. There was something familiar about the man.

"Hello, Brian," the man on the screen greeted.

Brian gasped and scrambled away.

"I was kind of hoping to say this to you in person, but it was never going to happen," the man informed him. "I know that this must have come as a complete shock to you, but if you are listening to this that means that whatever Daniel did to enchant this actually worked and it means that someone succeeded in rescuing you before it was too late."

Brian gaped at the image.

"In case you haven't figured it out, Big Brother, I'm Geoff."

Brian stared stunned at the aged version of his younger brother. Geoff had barely been nine the last time he'd seen him. Now he was so much older. He looked at the dates on the stone and did some quick calculating. Geoff had been eighty-two when he died.

"Ethan says I must be patient and in time we will have a chance to see you once more," Geoff informed the camera. He let out a sound of disbelief. "I don't think he quite understands how long one hundred years is. Though I suppose to Ethan it doesn't matter. He will be here waiting, confident that you will be back and he will do it even if it takes more than one hundred years. I will not. I am dying and I am well aware of it."

Brian gulped. Was there any chance that Ethan was still alive? It didn't seem possible.

"I am not so young, though Ethan has over a year on me," Geoff confided with a small laugh. "Lauren's dead long ago and you never even met her. She was our sister. Mom was pregnant when you disappeared, but Lauren died very young. She was only twenty-three. And there's someone else you've never met. Depending on how long it took you to be rescued, he may yet be alive. Let me tell you mom was stunned when she learned she was pregnant with Daniel fifteen years after Lauren was born. Our little brother is a character. I hope you get to meet him. Right now he's only in his late fifties, really just a young man."

Brian stared at Geoff's image. Another brother? Could he be alive? It seemed more likely than Ethan being alive.

"I miss you so much, Big Brother," Geoff informed him, "but I've learned to deal with the pain of your loss. However, I _will_ know when you show up, again, so you had better summon me. If you don't know how, find someone who does, someone from our family if you can or from one of the witch families we knew. I love you, Brian."

The screen flickered and Brian cried out as if he'd just lost Geoff all over again. It was Geoff's grave. He was dead, but for a moment he'd gotten to see his little brother alive.

The screen changed again and this time it showed a younger man, one in his fifties from the look of it. "Hello, Brian. You don't know me, but I'm your youngest brother. My name is Daniel. There are two copies of this video," Daniel informed him. "If this is the one you are watching then, most likely I am alive. I suppose it's possible my daughter ignored my instructions, but most likely I am alive. And that means I get to meet you if you are willing. Please be willing. I'm going to give you a phone number to call in just a moment, so if you have something to write on get it out. I have this phone on me at all times, so unless I'm asleep I will answer. You are literally the only one with this number. Please call me, Brian. If you don't have something to write on, this will replay every time you touch Geoff's grave as soon as you stop contact. I was very careful with my enchantment. Call me."

Brian had brought nothing to write on, but he found a pen in his pocket from a game he'd played with Katherine a few days before. He wrote the numbers down on his hand and as soon as they stopped and the stone moved back into place he took off running. He had a brother to meet.

The End

* * *

Brian's situation was always different than the rest of the children, because he was closer to his own time. Do you like how I ended this story.

To find out what happens next, go to the next episode. The story involved with it is a long one. The episode is complete, but there is a miniture story arc involved. The story is called "When Two Wrongs Make a Right". It is a combination of my thought process when reading the title of a CD called "Two Lefts Don't Make a Right, but Three Do", the saying "Two wrongs don't make a right.", and some minor thoughts on the Charmed episode "When Bad Warlocks Go Good." It actually refers to a character you've met before in earlier episodes. He's half darklighter, half scabber demon. He claims to be good, but is he?


	26. Extended Scenes

By request I am adding an additional set of scenes. This go deeper into Brian's story of finding out what happened to his brothers. In the final chapter of this story, Brian found his brother, Geoff's, gravestone with some surprises. In these scene you will find out about his sister's gravestone, which he looked for after leaving Geoff's grave, and what he finds out about his other two brothers, Ethan (born in 1916, so 111 if alive) and Daniel (born in 1943, so 84 if alive). You'll have to read the scenes to find out what Brian found.

I sometimes write scenes that do not end up getting used in the actual episode, or end up getting rewritten for one reason or another. One very specific one was the ending of "A Friend In Need". I actually forgot that I had written it and so rewrote it. I will also be adding that if anyone would like to check it out. If I find anymore "Deleted, Alternate, or Extended Scenes" I will add them as such to the stories. They may not fit into what is with the stories now or they might. This one was not written, but I had the basics in my mind, so when lizardmomma requested it, I went ahead and wrote it out. This set of scenes is "official".

* * *

Extended Scenes

Brian stared at the phone. It looked nothing like the phones they had when he was a little boy and still lived with his parents and his brothers. He didn't remember ever actually using the phone at home. That phone had been for important business his dad conducted or for when his ma had wanted to call one of her friends who had moved away. When he or Ethan had wanted to talk to someone they had just walked down the street, a block or two, or maybe a mile, always depending on who it was, and had visited with that person. Geoff had usually tagged along with whichever of his brothers was going somewhere.

And now Geoff was dead, long dead. And Ethan, who knew about Ethan. Brian looked at the number had written on his hand. Daniel. He'd be eighty-four if Brian had figured it right, but he might be alive. He'd said he'd given his daughter instructions on what to do if he died. And a sister, Lauren, whom had died so long ago that moss had grown over her gravestone when he'd found it. It had been a bit tricky. She was not Lauren Scott. Instead the gravestone had read:

Lauren Scott McGuffey  
Beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother  
January 12, 1928- July 15, 1951  
Anna McGuffey  
Our Angel

The grave next to it had read:

Marcus James McGuffey  
Beloved Son, Husband, Father  
August 11, 1924 – October 29, 1991

Two people he had never known, he had thought then, but he did. He remembered Marcus McGuffey, Marky really, the only child of the neighbors' two doors down. The little boy had toddled after Ethan, latching onto Brian's brother as if Ethan was the greatest thing he'd ever seen. Mrs. McGuffey was frequently at their door trying to locate her toddler when he had wandered out of the front yard while she was gardening.

And now like so many others, that little toddler was long dead, the husband of the sister Brian had never met, the father of a little girl who probably never made it past her first minute. There had been no message with Lauren's grave, but then Lauren had probably not expected to die when she did. He wished he had known her, his little sister. So much time lost, so little chance that anything was left. One hundred years was a very long time. He couldn't believe that Ethan had survived that. He wasn't even sure Daniel could have survived that, but not Ethan. Thinking that was to put too much hope on finding someone who knew him and knew him well.

"You've been staring at that phone for almost half an hour," Ava commented from behind him. "Is it really that strange?"

Brian turned around to look at her. He smiled as he shook his head held up his hand.

Ava took his hand in hers and gently turned it so she could read the number. "Someone gave you their phone number?"

He nodded. "My brother, sort of."

Ava looked at him surprised. "You have a living brother?"

"Maybe." He sighed. "That's the problem. It was listed in message on a gravestone almost thirty years old."

"You were in a cemetery?"

He nodded. "My family is from this area, so I thought I'd pay my respects if I could find them. Except when I found Geoff's grave there was a message from Daniel asking me to call this number." He looked up at her with barely held excitement. "I didn't even know there was a Daniel and now I'm supposed to call him. And Geoff said Ethan intended to stay alive, but he was only a couple of years younger than me, so he couldn't be. Could he?"

Ava took his hand and turned it so that the numbers faced him. "Only one way to find out."

Brian sighed. "That's what I was afraid of." He reached out and grabbed the phone in his hand. As he dialed, Ava smiled.

"I'll leave you alone for now," she told him. "If you need me, I'll be in my office."

He nodded barely noticing her words as he pushed the numbers on the phone.

* * *

"Rummy!" Elaina Scott yelled and she tossed her last cards on the table.

Her husband, John, groaned as he looked at her. "We can hear you, Lain."

Elaina wiggled her fingers against the edge of her ear. "What's that? Can't hear you."

A roar of laughter emitted from the end of the table. John's cousin, Bent Franklyn, was whispering something to their second cousin Eleanor Summers. The laughter did not come from them. It came from their great-uncle, Daniel Scott.

"Dad!" Daniel's daughter, Michelle Peters, protested. "Did you really do that to Aunt Lauren?"

Daniel grinned. "Well, I was only seven and Doris was getting all that attention."

Michelle laughed. "You were jealous of a newborn."

"You should have seen his reaction to Rachel's birth," the raspy voice of Daniel's older brother, Ethan Scott, commented catching the attention of all.

Eleanor, the younger of Rachel's two daughters, cast an amused look at Daniel. "You messed with my mom, too?"

"I was six!" Daniel protested indignant. "Ethan wasn't exactly an angel you know."

"Yes, but Grandpapa didn't start this conversation," Eleanor argued. "So let's hear about what you did to Mom."

It was Daniel heard a phone ringing. "Saved by the bell," he teased as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone, slid it open and put it to his ear. He frowned when he heard the phone ringing, again.

"What day is it?" Ethan asked, his voice sounding a mixture of fear and hope.

Elaina glanced down at her watch. "April 12th, why?"

"Brian," Daniel mumbled as he pulled out the second cell phone from his pocket.

"No," John protested. "Dad's not here."

"Oh, my word," Michelle gasped as she understood what was going on.

"Hello?" Daniel whispered into the phone as he got it to his ear.

"Hello," Brian's voice said from the other side. "I'm trying to reach Daniel Scott."

"Brian?"

"Yes," Brian agreed. "Is this Daniel?"

A look of awe covered Daniel's face, the wrinkles on his face more pronounced as he smiled. "I can't believe I'm actually talking to you. You sound so young."

"I am young," Brian agreed. At least he was physically. "When I found that message on Geoff's grave, I couldn't believe it. I didn't think there would be anyone left who would even know my name."

"Hard to forget that," Daniel chuckled. "Geoff's son is named for you. Besides Ethan and Geoff had all sorts of stories they liked to tell Lauren and me."

"I found her grave, too," Brian commented. "There was another name listed on the grave."

"Yeah," Daniel looked over at his own daughter. "Lauren died giving birth to her and she didn't make it either."

"How did Marky take that?"

"Marky?" Daniel barked out, amused.

"Give me the phone," Ethan rasped.

"Oh, give me a chance, Ethe," Daniel protested. "I've never even met him."

Ethan drew in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and his head slumped over.

* * *

Brian heard the commotion on the other end of the phone, but it quickly lost his attention as a glittering of air formed into a young boy he knew all too well. Tears threatened his eyes and he dropped the phone and ran over to give his little brother a hug. "Ethan!"

Ethan's astral projection hugged him tight. They stood there unmoving for over a minute.

"I never thought I'd see you again," Brian forced out, looking at his little brother. "But shouldn't you be older?"

"I am older, you nutcase," Ethan informed him. "But my body is so old and tired and you'd never recognize me. I wanted you to recognize me."

"But how?" Brian stared at him.

"One hundred years is a long time to practice a power," Ethan teased. "You might want to grab that phone and assure Daniel that I am alive and well. He was started to get on my nerves, should have let me talk to you."

Brian grinned, his eyes suspiciously shiny. "I can't believe you are still alive."

"I had to be," Ethan informed him. "My brother was coming back and he needed me."

Brian laughed. "I missed you so much, Ethe." He pulled Ethan into another hug.

When they pulled apart, Ethan looked at him. "Hard to believe you look so young still. Geoff and I had guesses on that, but there was this girl, Caitlyn Ellis, you remember her?"

Brian had to think a long time before he nodded his head. "I saw her there, but not after the demon was injured."

Ethan nodded. "She said she ran into some kids that had been there a long time, twin girls dressed like pilgrims."

Brian laughed and dragged Ethan into another room. He pointed across the room at the Faith and Charity, dressed nothing like pilgrims. "That's who she met," he whispered, not wanting to involve the girls in his reunion. He pulled Ethan back into the other room and grabbed up the phone. "Sorry, Daniel. Ethan's with me."

On the other end, Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. "Tell that moron not to scare us like that."

"You had to know he was using his power," Brian protested. "Even I knew that."

"Any chance you can come here?" Daniel asked. "Everyone here wants to meet you."

Brian looked over at Ethan. "Who's everyone?"

"Ethan's granddaughter, Eleanor, Geoff's grandsons, John and Bent, John's wife, Elaina, and my daughter, Michelle," Daniel replied, understanding Brian's need for information. "We meet ever week at Eleanor's to play games."

"Always at her house?" Brian asked confused.

Daniel nodded, not thinking about the fact that Brian couldn't see him. "Ethan lives with her and her husband."

"I see," Brian looked at his little brother amused. "You live with your granddaughter?"

Ethan shrugged. "When you see my body, you'll understand. I can't walk, Brian. My legs are too brittle, my muscles simply don't work. I lost my wife, my kids. My son never married. Rachel's older daughter only married a few years ago. When I had my accident, Eleanor and her husband offered to take me in." He gave Brian a wry grin. "I never quite got over it."

"Accident?"

"Nothing much to talk about," Ethan protested.

"You brought it up," he was quickly reminded.

Ethan sighed. "Tell, Daniel you'll find a way to get over there and then I'll explain."

Brian picked up the phone. "Hey, Daniel. I'll find a way over to Eleanor's house in a little bit. Ethan can give me the address. Right now, Ethan and I need to talk, okay?"

Daniel sighed. "Of course. Always Ethan."

"I want to know you," Brian informed him, but right now, I need to know how Ethan's life has been."

That Daniel could understand. It was just that he had waited so long to meet Brian and now he was so close. "Call me when you are on your way. You have the number."

Brian laughed. "Yes, I do."

After they had hung up, Brian turned to Ethan. "Okay, what happened?"

"It was back when Geoff died," Ethan announced. "You can't tell from his grave, but he was killed by a demon. We both figured the best way to stay young was to fight demons." He chuckled. "The reasoning behind that, of course, was that if we were injured we could be healed, and healing might heal away some age, too."

Brian bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"It was absurd, of course," Ethan laughed, "but it was what we thought. We both wanted so desperately to be here one hundred years from then, now, this year. We knew you had to be able to escape this year. We were going to make sure of it, but in the end, it's a good thing someone else found a way, because we never did." Ethan shook his head sadly. "We were so sure of ourselves back then."

Brian sighed. "So how did you lose your ability to walk?"

"Geoff was sick," Ethan informed him. "It seems like such a long time ago."

"Almost thirty years," Brian reminded him. "I saw his grave."

"He hadn't started to feel the physical effects of it yet, but the doctors told him there was nothing they could do. Six years later they found a cure, but that was much too late for Geoff."

Brian gulped.

"It didn't matter though," Ethan admitted. "Geoff didn't die of the disease. He died fighting a demon. And it was my fault."

Brian stared at Ethan stunned. "But how?"

"Ever since I learned to fight in astral form, I tend to do that," Ethan told him. "It allows me to be more limber and less vulnerable. Except this time, something happened, an earthquake actually, and I fell over. It was a very localized earthquake, directed pretty much at where I was, but it was enough to break me out of my astral form and leave Geoff alone. By the time I managed to get back, he was dead."

"Did you get him?" Brian asked, his eyes shining with unshed tears, again.

Ethan nodded quickly, anger on his face as he remembered. "Oh, yeah. I got him. He killed my brother. I wasn't letting him get away with that." He drew in a breath. "You want to know the worst part."

Brian looked at him silently, not sure how to answer.

"When I managed to summon him much later, he was glad it ended the way it did." Ethan sighed. "See there was this girl. She was ten. The demon had targeted her and he would have killed her, but he lost interest once he killed Geoff. He only cared about killing someone. Geoff told me he was old; he'd lived his life. That girl was so young, with so much in front of her. It was his life, to him, to see her live. I didn't want that ending. I wanted them both to live, but sometimes, you just don't get what you want."

Brian put his arms around his little brother and tears, unshed for years began to pour from Ethan's eyes. They were two brothers, mourning the brother they had both loved and lost.

* * *

If it's unclear, the earthquake was caused by a demon and Ethan's legs were crushed in it. Their whitelighter did try to heal them, but was forbidden by the elders, hope to convince Ethan to quite fighting demons, mostly due to his age. It didn't work. At this point if a whitelighter tried to heal them, he or she would be successful, but Ethan has never thought to ask, again.

If anyone is interested Ethan only had the two children he mentioned, James (not mentioned by name) and Rachel. Both are dead. He only had two granddaughters, Wanda and Eleanor. Eleanor had children and grandchildren. Wanda is somone recently married with no kids, but she does have step kids.

Geoff also had two children. His son he named Brian after his missing brother. Geoff's Brian is still alive and the oldest amongst his generation (thus why Ethan's son is named James). His daughter's name is Josie. Brian's two kids are John (who with his wife is in this scene) and Kimberley. Kimberley would have been of age with Prue and Andy and may have attended school with them, since she's from the same area. Josie had two daughters, MacKenzie and Erica, and two sons, Charles and Bent (who's in this scene and has the full first name of Benton). The six cousins have various kids and grandkids. Josie has been dead for many years.

Lauren had several miscarriage in her young life, before she finally gave birth to a daughter that lived. Doris did not stay in contact with her family growing up, since her father left the area shortly after the birth of a stillborn daughter, named Anna (as mentioned on the tomb), and death of his wife. He was burried with his wife when he died, but it was not until that point that Doris got in contact with her mother's family. She was fourty-one at the time and built a relationship with them, but not a close one. She has since died.

Finally, Daniel, younger than his nephew, Brian, and very close in age to most of his other nieces and nephews, he had three children. His oldest, Charlene, was the one he entrusted with the changing the video's if he died. He also had a son, Kevin, and another daughter, Michelle (seen in this scene.)

When trying to do the scene at Eleanor's house I tried to make sure I knew what all the relationships were, so I ended up with a partial family tree for the Scotts. I hope you enjoyed the extra pieces to this story.


End file.
